The Glow Badbury Project
Group Visit to Badbury Rings ©White Sheep Projects
Evocative Dorset arts project Glow Badbury shares a learning legacy for future generations.
An inspirational new Learning Pack, a collaboration between arts company Emerald Ant and National Trust Kingston Lacy, has just been launched for schoolchildren - and for anyone who loves visiting Badbury Rings. The pack covers Key Stage 1 and 2 subjects from ancient Celts and Romans through to ‘History and Human Rights’, as well as art, biology and even fossils and geology – so much can be learnt from this ancient site, and it is all on our doorstep.
The Glow Badbury project, which celebrates the history and wildlife of the Rings, ran a series of field trips and artist workshops last year with local schools and community groups, the creative output of which culminated in an illuminated trail event performed over two evenings in the Autumn of 2023.
Following on from the workshops and performances, the new Glow Badbury Learning Pack for schools and visitors to Badbury Rings, will continue to bring to life the natural and historic lessons learnt along the way. It depicts both today’s wildlife and the many tales of old, that together paint a full and colourful picture of The Rings, the ancient site we know and love so well – or rather thought we knew so well!
Emerald Ant’s Sarah Butterworth joined forces with local teachers and National Trust staff to compile the packs, ensuring they contain the real gems of knowledge from the project that best reflect the most intriguing elements of The Rings. Presented in an imaginative and user-friendly way, intriguing tasks and missions to be carried out ‘in the field’ further teach curious young minds about the rich heritage of Badbury Rings including: Adonis blue butterflies and beguiling Bee Orchids; the charismatic call of the Cuckoo and innocent song of the Skylark; the lay of the ancient land and troubled tribes invaded by Romans – complete with traces of their treasure - are just some of the fascinating facts covered.
Tasks set in the packs inspire: further exploration of the chalk Grassland and the myriad of insects that live there; reveal the surprising geology beneath our walking boots; and get young minds thinking about the people whose footprints came before them. Why were people drawn to The Rings…was it for protection or to oppress? Stories of historic figures shunned by society also highlight the need for improved human rights - the Learning Packs really do delve deeply into how humanity has experienced life on or near Badbury Rings.
’Glow Badbury’ inspired a creative response from school children involved in the project. Now all schools, and anyone accessing the new Learning Packs, can apply their own artistic flair to the practical makes suggested; design your own stately Roman coin, make a simple but super-useful Durotrige pinch pot, or even create then adorn yourself with a beautiful blue butterfly headdress. There is something for everyone to try!
Finally, to help all visitors find that little bit of inner calm, a special ‘Welcome’ worksheet by Dave Smith - warden of the Rings for many years - encourages us to breathe in that Badbury air and let ourselves be enveloped by the soft sights and sounds that both uplift and ground us, remembering all that has passed before, on these quite remarkable rings.
The Glow Badbury Learning Pack is freely available to access and download here
Hands on Discovery at Badbury Rings ©White Sheep Projects