A PIONEERING education and outreach project from the Yorkshire Dales is expanding into the Forest of Bowland in an effort to encourage even more people to experience the benefits of spending time in the countryside.

The People and the DALES project, run by Clapham-based charity Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT) with funding from Natural England’s Access to Nature programme, has given 4,750 people from disadvantaged urban backgrounds the opportunity to visit the Dales countryside to date.

One of the key objectives of the project is the share expertise and knowledge and to support this aim, the trust has joined forces with the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Using a grant from its Sustainable Development Fund, a pilot project is under way to explore the potential to set up a project akin to People and the DALES which will encourage a wide range of people to visit the Forest of Bowland AONB.

The pilot has researched possible groups, places to visit and delivered a series of events for refugees and asylum seekers and other disadvantaged community groups from Manchester, Burnley and Morecambe.

Groups enjoyed a Halloween themed event at Cobble Hey Farm, kite making and orienteering at Beacon Fell Country Park, visiting Lower Gazegill Organic Farm where they enjoyed homemade ice-cream, and felt making at Laund Farm.

For some individuals it was their first visit to the area and an eye-opening experience that illustrated just how accessible and uplifting the countryside can be.

Judy Rogers, community worker at YDMT, said: “We are so proud of the achievements of the People and the DALES project in the Dales and are keen to help other groups develop similar initiatives that build on the experience we have gained so even more people can benefit. It has been great working with the Forest of Bowland team and I hope we have empowered the groups that took part in the pilot scheme to return in the future.”

Sandra Silk, project officer with the Forest of Bowland said: “The Forest of Bowland is a beautiful area and we're keen to help new groups discover all it has to offer. It's been great being able to benefit from Judy's knowledge and enthusiasm and the experience of the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust."