NEWS ARCHIVE
21st December 2008
NEW EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES
The 'Moving Mountains' project is a NEW and innovative learning programme combining the traditional benefits of out of classroom learning with state of the art multi-media technology.
The Project centres on the impact of quarrying on the landscape, culture, economy, and ecology of the local area.'Moving Mountains' is designed to work alongside our existing fieldwork provision (i.e. in Geography & Biology), but also provides a range of options for less traditional subjects (e.g. Welsh Baccalaureate, Leisure & Tourism, Business Studies, Media Studies). A key benefit of the project is the use of multimedia equipment (camcorders, digital cameras, voice recorders) to put together a short movie or presentation using our NEW Multimedia Resource Centre with its interactive whiteboard, wirelessly networked computers, and editing software.
One of the objectives of 'Moving Mountains' is to produce an interactive online guide to the Clydach Gorge; an area just 8km away from the Centre that was quarried extensively to support iron and lime production. The quarries closed some time ago, and the gorge is now the ideal spot to explore flora and fauna and to gain an insight into our industrial heritage. Participants’ work will become hotspots on the online map, which can be elaborated on, so that a multi-layered resource is built up. See our Clydach Gorge Website for more information. Other locations, including active quarries will also be used to look at the wider issues associated with aggregate extraction.
We can assemble an innovative and inspirational programme using combinations of Moving Mountains modules (and our existing courses) to meet your curriculum / framework needs. Through the project, you can also take advantage of the iEARN UK Learning Circle structure to continue your skills development and assessment after your visit to Ty’r Morwydd / Mulberry House. See the Key Stage 2 section of this website for an example of what the project has to offer.
15th December 2008
OPENING THE DOORS TO THE COMMUNITY
This year Mulberry House has invested in improving its disabled access and has installed a new pathway across the orchard gardens to link with its new entrance to the rear of the building (next to our free carpark).
In January 2009 we will also install, with the help of a bid from GAVO, further improvements to the disabled access inside the Centre and provide an additional disabled toilet close to the Georgian House entrance.
"As a charity and social enterprise we are keen to let the public benefit from the use of our wide range of new and existing facilites as we wish to work more closely with the local community" said Vivienne Compton, Centre Director. "This is a very exciting time for us all".
The Town Mayor, County Councillor John Prosser, and local County Councillors Roger Harris, Paul Jordan and James Cook visited the Centre on 5th December and were shown the new Digital Media facilities and Resource Library, the new YHA accommodation. Specialist Geography Tutor, Steve Tyrell gave a demonstration of how the new digital resources can be used to enhance experiential outdoor fieldtrips using the local landscape of the Clydach Gorge. Students have made video clips and have been contributing towards the building of a new website www.clydachgorgeguide.org for the benefit of tourists, local people and students.
Councillors thanked Centre staff for the tour and mince pies and found it very interesting to "uncover all these resources close to the heart of Abergavenny". Councillor Harris said he had lived in Abergavenny for many years and "always wondered what went on here" at the Old Convent! The Councillors recommended that the Centre hold and Open Day in the New Year to showcase all the facilities available and 'spread the word'. Watch out for dates!
Our community Christmas Lunches brought lots of festive cheer this year and local primary school children (Our Lady of St Michaels and Deri View) both kindly came to sing Christmas carols to guests and "made their day"! It served to remind us of what Christmas is all about and the importance of the community spirit alive and well in Abergavenny.
See also: Disabled Access Statement
4th September 2008
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT SKILLS
PRIMARY KEY STAGE 2 (YEARS 4, 5 AND 6)
Using habitats of the locally situated Clydach Gorge local children recently came to our Environmental Study Centre to the gain the skills necessary to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that can be applied in their home/school.
During this two-day study, pupils gained science skills, data collection techniques and reporting skills. Pupils ‘pooted and poked and paddled’ looking at plants and woodland and freshwater invertebrates. One of the aims of the study was to estimate the potential human impacts caused by conflicting land-use proposals.
They also learnt to investigate an environmental issue, which links to the Geography curriculum.
Whilst using our new multimedia facilities in Abergavenny pupils also learnt ICT and digital media skills.
Schools working towards Eco-school status would particularly benefit from this study as students learn skills associated with carrying-out an environmental audit.
In the autumn term 08-09 the Moving Mountains team will be developing new fieldwork for GCSE Geographers, Environmental Scientists and the Welsh Baccalaureate (Wales, Europe and the World).
The theme of this new programme of activities will be Land Use Conflicts connected with ‘New Proposals for Aggregate Extraction in a Local Area’.
An Enviromental Impact Assessment will, again, be part of this NEW one-study and be will be supported by the use of the latest digital media technology.
Steve Tyrrell
Lead Tutor, Moving Mountains
See also Education > Key Stage 2
14th April 2008
NEW RESEARCH
'A Journey to Excellence - Investigating Self-Assessment as a Quality Management Tool and Performance Management System for a Non-maintained
14-19 Education Provider of Natural Environment Studies based in Wales', 2008. Contact enquiries@mulberrycentre.com for further details.
'The Value of Field Studies and Outdoor Learning Opportunities in contributing to Learners in Wales achieving the 14-19 Learning Core', 2007. Independent study. Contact enquiries@mulberrycentre.com for further details.
31st May 2008
ABERGAVENNY FOOD FESTIVAL 20th and 21st SEPTEMBER 2008
Mulberry House / Ty'r Morwydd will once again be serving up a range of treats for the nationally renowned Abergavenny Food Festival. See the Food Festival programme (www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com) for details of the WILD FOOD FORAY & PICNIC (Wed 17th Sept) where you can get a chance to pick your own wild foods on a guided walk of the beautiful local countryside.
Also watch for the WELSH SUPPER NIGHT (Sat 20th Sept) where you can have the opportunity to try home cooked locally sourced produce in a range of dishes, including the infamous Mulberry & Apple Crumble with both fruits hand-picked from our own gardens! Val Snell, Finalist in the National Tourism Awards 2007, Extra Mile Award, will prepare a three-course Evening Dinner at Mulberry House, to include a welcoming glass of Celtic Kir Royale. In addition a Welsh Harpist will play to guests for part of the evening as guests enjoy their Welsh Supper. Accommodation is available at Mulberry House with free parking for up to 30 guests, close to the town centre and other Food Festival activities. Tel: 01873 855959 to book for the Foray or Supper.
20th March 2008
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of the education charity Ty'r Morwydd Environmental Study Centre will be held at The Old Convent, Abergavenny on Tuesday 25th March 2008 at 6pm. Members of the Charity are invited.
7th March 2008
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Moving Mountains
Moving Mountains is a new project will be launched this March 2008 to bring together traditional field study
techniques with the very latest
multi-media technology. Ty'r Morwydd was recently successful in
securing funding from the Aggregage Levy Board to develop a range of new education programmes linked to Quarrying and the following
subjects: Geography, Geology, Biology, Environmental Science, Key Skills, Welsh Bacaluareate and a range of vocational subjects such as Leisure and Tourism & Construction. We teach from KS2 to KS5 but can also support your own curriculum or teambuilding programme.
Our NEW digital media centre and new programmes will be ready soon.
Call Vivienne Compton on
01873 855959 for further information or email: enquiries@mulberrycentre.com
Download our Moving Mountains leaflet here (635kb)
7th March 2008
Geography Assocation Conference 28/29 March 2008
See us at the GA Conference from 27th to 29th March and find out further information about our latest Digital Media Centre. Download the attached voucher which offers teachers a FREE WEEKEND IN WALES in 2008 to have an opportunity to view our facilities and visit our field study sites.
Download our voucher here (181kb)
8th January 2008
Minister Approves Ty'r Morwydd Bid for New Education Resources in 2008!
A recent education development project bid submitted by Ty'r Morwydd Environmental Study Centre in partnership with iEARN UK has just gained full approval by the Minister to the Environment, Jane Davidson. The new funding will enable an exciting collaboration of traditional fieldwork activities combined with the very latest digital media technology and online classroom learning. The project will enable, for the first time, this meeting of minds and the exciting new development of educational resources for schools linked to industrial heritage, quarrying and the environment. The 'Moving Mountains' project will be launched in January 2008 and will also promote industrial heritage electronically, for the benefit of local tourism providers - making 'Sense of Place' information accessible and available to locals and tourists. The funding will be used to pilot programmes related to the Welsh Baccalaureate and Key Skills. It will also be used to launch new Geology fieldstudy programmes. For further information please contact Vivienne Compton, Centre Director, Ty'r Morwydd Environmental Study Centre, Monmouthshire. Tel: 01873 855959 or email: enquiries@mulberrycentre.com
9th January 2008
NEW YOUTH HOSTEL TO OPEN IN 2008
76-Bed B&B facility to offer ‘value for money’. ...the official launch of Mulberry House Hostel on Friday 18th January - bringing a new YHA facility to Monmouthshire.
14th December 2007
New AS Curriculum
Our tutors are busy planning changes to our fieldwork activities to better suit the new AS level specifications (commencing September 2008). Fieldwork remains an important part of the study of geography, and is essential in allowing students to gain practical experience of topics covered in the classroom. Detailed information of our new courses will be available early in the Spring term.
12th December 2007
Improvements to facilities
Recent investment in our computing facilities means that we now have all of our classroom computers on a wireless network, leading to much improved internet access for all visitors. Wireless enabled laptops may now be used in all classrooms and common rooms. In addition to this we are now able to provide a second digital projector for use in our classrooms.
23rd November 2007
Welsh Baccalaureate
We are currently developing a series of study days tailored to the Welsh Baccalaureate. These studies will focus in content on aspects of the Wales, Europe and the World or PSE components, and will incorporate key skills. By the end of the day students will have had every opportunity to gain the necessary evidence for specified key skills areas. All study days may be developed further to individual investigations.
12th October 2007
National Tourism Awards
Our Housekeeper, Val Snell, attended the National Tourism Awards ceremony as a finalist in ‘The Extra Mile Award’ category. This award recognises those people who work behind the scenes in the tourism industry and who go the extra mile to accommodate guests or bend over backwards to ensure visitors enjoy their stay. We are all very proud of Val for this achievement.
Photo: Val Snell (left) with Mulberyy House/Ty'r Morwydd colleagues
2nd October 2007
Moving Mountains Project
If we are successful with our funding bid, this project will see Ty’r Morwydd delivering an innovative project combining traditional fieldwork with state of the art ICT and multimedia resources. We will be working closely with iEarn UK on the ICT side of the project, who will allow schools to extend the project beyond their fieldtrip through online learning circles. The project will follow the life cycle of a quarry with a strong emphasis on decision making and sustainability issues, as well as the legacy of quarrying operations. It will be linked to the curriculum for Geography, Geology and Science and to the Welsh Baccalaureate. We hope to learn about the success of the bid early in 2008.
