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Last updated 09/05/2012

Sound library now live!

Listen to the squeals, squeaks, sniffles, snuffles, whirrs, slurps, drones, creaks, crackles, bleating and baaing. The sounds of the countryside are available to listen to now or for free download.

Last updated 26/01/2012

Shaun the Sheep is here!

 

Discover the sounds and smells of the farm with Shaun in some baa-rilliant clips

Last updated 23/05/2011

See our photo gallery

 girl looking at an insect she found under old carpets in a wood

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Natural England Lottery Funded

 

Food, farming and nature in The City

Despite the tube strike and arctic conditions around 80 people made it to London for the 'Let Nature Feed Your Senses' conference held on November 29, 2010.

We had fantastic speakers, including Dr William Bird, who emphasised the importance of access to outdoor environments for everyone's health and well being, and three of our very own host farmers who told us all about the amazing experiences that the project is creating.

It wasn’t all talk however, with workshops exploring how play, drawing and stories can be used to connect people to their environment, nature, food and farming. Conference delegates played with their food and made edible pictures, went on adventures and shared stories and memories.

For those of you who were planning to come but couldn’t make it because of the weather, you were missed!

Please explore our site where you will find Dr Bird's presentation as a download, the Ten Top Tips from the Draw workshop and links to the Visual minutes albums in our photo gallery.

Here is a copy of the Conference report as a pdf. Here is a copy of the Conference report text only. 

 Conference delegate pack.  Caroline drummond, LEAF CEO at the lecturn. Dr William Bird, keynote speaker. 

 Conference delegate pack

Caroline Drummond, LEAF CEO, opened the conference making the connections between food, farming and nature 

Dr William Bird, keynote speaker, highlighted the benefits of access to outdoor environments for everyone's health and wellbeing
     
 The conference room at the St Bride Foundation in central London including Dr William Bird and the delegates. A memeber of the Visual Minutes team is drawing and writing down the conference proceedings.   Susie Emmett from Green Shoot Productions talking to the conference.
 The conference took place at the St. Bride Foundation in central London  The conference was captured in words and drawings by the Visual Minutes team Susie Emmett from Green Shoot Productions kept the show on track 
     
 James Taylor, LEAF Project Coordinator introduces the project and its objectives.  Delegates included, farmers, wildlife trusts and community representatives. Jen Bartlett, Sensory Trust project coordinator silenced the crowd to try out a sound map. 
James Taylor, LEAF Project Co-ordinator, introduced the project and its objectives Delegates included farmers, wildlife trusts and community representatives Jen Bartlett, Sensory Trust Project Co-ordinator, silenced the crowd to try out a sound map
     
 Our South West regional coordinator, Sue Padfield, beautifully illustrated the power of a visit for older people from a residential care home.  A sheet of colourful, hand drawn visual minutes. Jo North, presenting to the conference, standing in front of a picture of people enjoying a farm visit. 
Our South West Regional Co-ordinator, Sue Padfield, beautifully illustrated the power of a visit for older people from a residential care home The Visual Minutes team sketched and painted throughout the day Jo North, a project host from the South East, shared her memories from the visits she had run with adults with learning disabilities
     
 North West regional coordinator John Alpe talking to the conference with the Visual Minutes drawing behind him on a large sheet of paper.  Phil Waters from the Eden Project recording a play workshop participant enthusiastically telling ther tale while the other participants lok an smiling. The play adventurers looking at the magical objects they collected from the streets of London - including a teaspoon, a newspaper, some leaves, and litter. 
 North West Regional Co-ordinator John Alpe highlighted how much the hosts were benefitting from getting involved in the project  Phil Waters from the Eden Project took delegates on an adventure in his Play workshops The Play adventurers collected magical objects from the streets of London 
     
 Mercedes Kemp, in the ornate Salisbury Room, leading the story workshop. The conference delegates are sitting around a polished oval table as Mercedes, at the head of the table, speaks. The artist Karina Thompson introducing the drawing workshop.   In the background the drawing workshop participants discuss their artwork . In the close foreground sits an artwork made of autumnal leaves, carrots and seeds.
 Mercedes Kemp from WildWorks ran the workshop exploring the stories and connections found in rural communities  The artist Karina Thompson ran the drawing workshop The drawing workshop participants played with food, leaves and seeds to produce collaborative images 
     
 A laby bird made from half an apple, some seeds, carrot and drawing pins. Conference delegates enjoying a chat and a bite to eat.   Regional coordintor John Alpe in conversation with a conference delegate in front of a colourful, vibrant, visual minute.
 The workshops showed the participants that techniques that might be regarded as childlike can actually be used and enjoyed by everyone  Lunch and the workshops offered delegates a welcome opportunity to get to know one another Regional Co-ordinator John Alpe in conversation in front of a colourful, vibrant, visual minute 
     
Jane Stoneham, Sensory Trust Director, talking to the conference at the end of the day. A large 1.5 metre square visual minute sheet full of colourful sketches and words hangs from the conference wall.  A drawing of someone enjoying the nature and wildlife present.

Sensory Trust Director Jane Stoneham closed the day with a few final thoughts about the project, its beneficiaries and benefits

 The whole day was captured by the Visual Minutes team - watch this space!