A GROUP of Bradford schoolchildren got the chance to meet the Chancellor of the UK recently while on a residential trip in North Yorkshire.

The Years 5 and 6 pupils from Wibsey Primary School were enjoying a two residential at Youth Hostels Association (YHA) Grinton Lodge in the Yorkshire Dales National Park near the River Swale.

The trip was funded by Generation Green, a 16-month £2.5 million project connecting 100,000 young people with nature through trips, outdoor learning, volunteering, training and jobs.

It has been funded by the Green Recovery Challenge Fund, and seeing the project in action was Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who visited the Wibsey schoolchildren on a trip in his Richmond constituency.

The Bradford group were taking part in activities put on by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority during the residential.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Wibsey schoolchildren went on a Government-funded trip to the Dales to connect them with nature - and met the Chancellor while they were there. Pic: Chris Booth

Rishi Sunak said: “It was great to meet the children getting a taste of Dales life learning about the environment and the way the countryside works.

“The Government is pleased to be funding this excellent programme.”

Karen Yates, acting headteacher at Wibsey Primary, said: “For many of the children who stayed at YHA Grinton Lodge, it was their first time on a residential and also their first time in the countryside.

“It was a wonderful experience for them, helping them understanding the environment and how to look after and treasure our countryside.

“The Generation Green project is so important, and we hope it continues so more children can experience being outside in our amazing landscape.”

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Rishi Sunak saw how the Generation Green project is boosting opportunities for Bradford schoolchildren. Pic: Chris Booth

James Blake, chief executive of YHA (England & Wales), added: “Spending time with Mr Sunak gave us the opportunity to impress on him the importance of young people spending time in the outdoors and connecting with nature.

“This is more important than ever in the wake of the pandemic where hundreds of thousands of young people missed out on the opportunity to have a school residential.

“For some of those children, it would be their first time in the countryside. We cannot overlook these young people.”

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