HEREFORDSHIRE Wildlife Trust's WildPlay initiative and Herefordshire's Campaign to Protect Rural England (HCPRE) have launched a new community project to uncover the past, present and future of the landscape around Kington.

A new and exciting partnership was formed this autumn with Herefordshire's Campaign to Protect Rural England (HCPRE) and Herefordshire Wildlife Trust's WildPlay initiative. Support has also come from Herefordshire Foundation, Kington United Charities, HCPRE and Big Lottery.

Following discussions on how to encourage children to play outdoors and a reminiscence of William Hoskins's The Making of the English Landscape, a firm plan was made to test a new approach to introducing children and families in Kington to the wonders of the landscape surrounding this beautiful market town.

Kicking off the project, Year 6 pupils from Kington Primary discovered the historical, cultural and social factors that have determined the local environment at Hergest Croft Garden with guide Rowan Griffiths. In January, the project continues with a series of interview sessions between children and adults in Kington to find out why the landscape in and around Kington is so important to the community and why it's so special. This research will then inform more school trips and open access WildPlay sessions in a variety of urban, semi natural habitat, farmland and parkland with lots of old school activities to show the differences (and similarities) between childhoods of today and yesteryear. There will also be a special night walk to view Kington's landscape from above.

The entire journey will be filmed to create footage digital record of the project and its discoveries.

Project leader, Jo Dainty commented: "The environment in which we live, play and work can tell us a lot about the past but can also strongly influence our day to day lives. The landscape around Kington is very special to the local community and we want to help people of all ages discover more about it and share their knowledge and experience. It's an ambitious project but one which I think will really catch people's imagination."

If you have some interesting memories to share about the changes in Kington's environment, or some good tales to tell about important features – perhaps meeting trees; fields or hills where you played or an important landmark from your way home from school - please get in touch with Jo Dainty on 07341736187.