Our Bright Future – Going Wild in the Belfast Hills!

Wildlife spotting in Hills

Belfast Hills Partnership has been encouraging young people to ‘Go Wild’ and explore the Belfast Hills as part of ‘Our Bright Future‘. 

Boys with binoculars in Hills

‘Our Bright Future’ is a forward-thinking social movement supporting young people lead progressive change in their communities and local environment. The project is funded by the Big Lottery Fund. Indeed we want local young people to learn about the uplands and encourage a lifetime of respect, safe use and exploration.


The Belfast Hills Partnership Youth Outreach team have been delivering elements of this programme through the John Muir Award. This award is an environmental scheme focused on wild places. It encourages awareness and responsibility for the natural environment in the spirit of fun, adventure and exploration. Evidently it is an educational initiative with four challenges at its heart: Discover, Explore, Conserve and Share.


To date over 250 young people have taken part. Using the Belfast Hills as their playground, they have discovered secrets on Cave Hill, found fascinating fossils in Colin Glen and performed a mountain rescue expedition on Divis. Similarly they have improved their school grounds by planting native trees and a blooming marvellous wildflower meadow.


Dermot Niblock a teacher at St Gerard’s Special Needs School expressed his delight at the programme. “I cannot say how much the pupils enjoyed their experience. They have improved in every area.  Exploring the Belfast Hills was brilliant; the leaders were experts and taught the kids so much. The boys say they will remember it forever!”


 “Taking part in the John Muir Award has been an amazing experience for everyone, not simply helping the young people to appreciate their local wild spaces, but also learning valuable life skills such as leadership, communication and teamwork. We hope that the young people who took part will become future ambassadors for the environment.”
Lizzy Pinkerton, Scheme Manager with the Belfast Hills Partnership

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