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Outdoor Shelters and Eco Hub for Primary School

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eco classrooms

outdoor shelter with renewable energy equipment

We have just completed quite an interesting project for a school in South London where we have basically supplied them with an “eco hub” which is designed to be both an outdoor classroom or outdoor shelter but which is also an educational tool to help children learn about and appreciate the environment.

We started working on the project with the school last year and came up with the idea of having a small 3m octagonal shelter which say 15 children could sit in at any one given time. It was to be sited next to the school’s existing gardening and planting area so fitted in very well with the whole overall eco schools ethos of healthy living and renewable energy.

We were easily able to supply a building from our comprehensive range of outdoor shelters for schools as the school specifically wanted one which needed to be both “sideless and floorless”. We did however fit an upper panel to one side of the building as this was going to be used to host the board for the renewable energy system.

On the roof, we have fitted a solar panel (which is made from special materials to easily withstand errant footballs and potential vandalism) and a mini wind turbine which is mounted to the side on a pole. The siting of the outdoor shelter at the school is in a very good position because it is south facing (so plenty of sun and natural light for the solar panel) and is not shielded by any trees which would act as a wind block for the turbine. The energy created by these two items is then stored in a special battery which is mounted (but yet concealed) onto the main control board. This power is then in turn converted into usable electricity via an inverter whereby the children can plug in their laptops, tablets, mobiles etc into the two power sockets – and thereby appreciate 100% green energy powered by the elements!

We have also supplied the school with a special dynamo bike which is fitted into a back A frame holster. When the children pedal the bike, it creates energy via a dynamo system and this feeds into a special charging unit for mobile devices. As above, the children can then charge up their mobile devices through clean energy and good old fashioned pedal power.

Both these renewable energy systems are also actively involving the participation of the school children and therefore this way, they will appreciate how we can easily create clean and green energy which does not pollute the environment without having to burn fossil fuels. And of course, there is a bit of fun involved too.

The school has further plans for future developments along this eco theme including a music system which is powered by renewable energy. And a water butt and roof guttering system which will be retro-fitted to the outdoor shelter so that the harvested rain water can be used to water the planters and beds in the next door gardening facility – which at the moment is a problem as there is no water supply to this area and is beyond the reach of a hose.

The project was funded by Tesco’s Bags of Help community grant.

A short video of this installation and project can be seen on the eco classroom link.

For further information on our eco outdoor shelters, please contact the Hideout House Company on 01865 858982 or email: info@hideouthouse.com

www.hideouthouse.com

 

Tesco Bags of Help Grant Scheme For Schools

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The Tesco Bags of Help programme has changed slightly as of this August. Applicants can now apply all year round and they will be making multiple grant awards each month. Application and decision times are therefore hopefully greatly reduced.

However, the amounts they will give out are reduced to either £1000, £2000, or £5000.

Applications are now open and you can apply whether you have been previously funded or not.

Programme Information

The new programme is very similar to the old one. Their aim is to support projects which will “promote community participation in the development and use of outdoor spaces”.

What do they mean by this?

They will fund projects that deliver either a physical environmental improvement or encourage the use and long term sustainability of outdoor spaces.

Any non-profits, including schools, are eligible to apply. Grants can be the full amount a project needs, or can just provide a contribution towards the costs.

As we specialise in supplying products to schools which meet their grant funding criteria, then please do visit our website www.hideouthouse.com to find out a bit more about what we as the Hideout House Company do or give us a call to discuss how we can help you with your application bid.

For further information on the Tesco Bags of Help grant please visit:

https://www.groundwork.org.uk/Sites/tescocommunityscheme/pages/Category/apply-for-a-boh-grant-tes2

The Hideout House Company Ltd

Tel: 01865 858982 or email: info@hideouthouse.com

www.hideouthouse.com

Grants for Schools – Tesco’s Bags of Help Grant

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Tescos are currently offering a grant which schools are eligible to apply for and is a funding scheme which is giving grants of £8 – £12,000 for projects which improve green spaces in communities. These may include building new pocket parks, sports facilities, woodland walks, community gardens and school playgrounds.

Basically they want to fund schemes which will get people out and about and enjoying the great outdoors more, by making physical improvements to open spaces. School playgrounds fall therefore within their funding remits.

Outcomes Tesco wishes to achieve:

Projects must lead to: Physical Improvement of an Open Space

Plus at least one (and as many as possible) of the following outcomes:

  • Protecting or improving biodiversity
  • Promoting physical activity
  • Improving wellbeing
  • Increasing community safety
  • Mitigating or adapting to climate change
  • Improving access to open spaces by under-represented groups

They value any volunteering opportunities created by the project and are interested to know how the scheme will be promoted in the community. The scheme has to benefit the wider local community and not just be for the exclusive use of the school.

Things Tesco want applicants to provide: Organisational constitution, photograph of site as it is now, landowner permission form (this is downloadable, and is just signed off by the landowner).

Tesco look like they want to fund the projects mostly themselves. Match funding can be up to £4000. This means that a total project could cost up to £12,000 – 16,000. But no more.

Decisions on grants will be made at the beginning of September, and paid in Mid-November.

This is a great opportunity to get some funding towards this type of project. Approx. 1 in 4 applicants received a grant in the last open window.

How it works is that the applicant has to say how they would spend £8000, £10000, or £12000 to improve their local space. If the project is successful, then it goes into a Tesco store and customer’s votes decides which amount (of those three) it gets.

Information you’ve got to provide includes project information, pictures of the condition of the area currently and information on local community support.

The deadline for applications is June 3rd!

At the Hideout House Company, this is an area we specialise in as we are able to supply products for schools which meet and fulfill the criteria and outcomes of this particular grant.

For further information on our products please visit www.hideouthouse.com and if you would also like further information on this grant and how we can help, please contact us on 01865 858982 or send an email to info@hideouthouse.com

Tesco’s Bags of Help Grant Initiative for Green Spaces

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The supermarket chain Tesco has launched a community grant initiative which will fund capital projects for school playgrounds.

The emphasis of the grant is on providing green spaces and because Tesco is expecting there to be a major demand for grants, the charity Groundwork will assess all of the applications received and then provide a shortlist of the applications received for a Tesco Shortlisting panel who will agree three successful projects to forward to a vote in Tesco stores.

Tesco customers will vote over two weekends in their store for their favourite shortlisted local project.  Grants will then be awarded as follows:

  • 1st place in Tesco customer vote:  £12,000 grant
  • 2nd place in Tesco customer vote: £10,000 grant
  • 3rd place in Tesco customer vote:  £8,000 grant

Round one of funding is now complete but the second round of funding is to open again on Monday 18th April. You don’t need to have any match funding but if you do, this must not be higher than 25% of the overall budget cost.

The lucky winners will need to complete their projects within 12 months of receiving the funding. For further information on this grant and how to apply, please visit:

http://www.groundwork.org.uk/Sites/tescocommunityscheme/pages/large-grants-tes

For further information on our products, please visit www.hideouthouse.com or email info@hideouthouse.com