Alston Hall launches SpringWatch

May half term sees the first SpringWatch at Alston Hall in Longridge. This special event will celebrate springtime, nature and wildlife with four days of science and conservation-based learning activities,

These exciting activities include dusk and dawn photography, mammal surveys, a river walk, a bird and bat box-making workshop, as well as lectures by experts from the Lancashire Wildlife Trust. Many are family friendly like building a woodland den and making crafts from woodland objects.

Learners can choose individual sessions that they want to attend or there are discounted full day and full week residential packages available.

Located a few hundred metres from the north bank of the river Ribble, Alston Hall is surrounded by countryside and woodlands, making it the perfect location for studying spring wildlife. The college, which is part of Lancashire County Council's adult learning service, is well known for its wide range of one day and residential adult learning courses, but this is the first time that there has been a week of activities focussed on the local ecology.

Lesley Hinchcliffe, Business Manager at Alston Hall said "Everyone at Alston Hall is very excited about our first SpringWatch. We have enlisted some very well respected biology and ecology experts to teach these courses and we are sure that this will be a fun and educational event for learners of all ages."

For more information about the SpringWatch timetable or to reserve a place, you can call Alston Hall on 01772 784661 or email [email protected].

ENDS

Notes to editors

These courses take place in Lancashire County Council's standard May half term, please be aware that some schools may have different half term dates.

The full list of courses is as follows:

Tuesday 26 May
The science of spring, 10am – 1pm, tutor: Dr Rosalind Jones
Meet the stars of spring, 2pm – 5pm, tutor: Dr Rosalind Jones
Alston unsprung, includes a quiz: science and stars of spring, 6.30pm – 8pm, tutor: Dr Rosalind Jones
Photography at dusk, 6pm -9pm (sunset 9.21pm), tutor: Melvin Nicholson

Wednesday 27 May
Photography at dawn, 5.30am-8.30am (sunrise 4.51am), tutor: Melvin Nicholson
The work of LWT and red squirrels, 10am – 1pm, tutor: John Ball
How to be a mammal detective, 2pm – 5pm, tutor: Hilary Smith
Alston unsprung, includes a quiz: birds and bats, 6.30pm – 8pm, tutor: Dr Rosalind Jones
Dusk mammal survey, 8.30pm – 10pm, tutor: Hilary Smith

Thursday 28 May
Dawn mammals, 4am – 6.30am, tutor: Hilary Smith
Wildlife under threat and amazing wildlife, 10am – 1pm, tutor: Brian Ashworth
Family event: art from the woods, 2pm – 5pm, tutor: Juliet Huntington
Alston unsprung: coffee, chatter and quiz, 6.30pm – 8pm, tutor: Dr Rosalind Jones

Friday 29 May
The dawn chorus, starts at 5am, tutor: Dr Rosalind Jones
Citizen science, 10am – 1pm, tutor: Dr Rosalind Jones
Family event: den building and storytelling, 2pm – 5pm, tutor: Juliet Huntington
Alston unsprung, includes a three-course meal, 5pm – tutor Dr Rosalind Jones
For further information please contact: Angela Ross on 01772 533474
[email protected]