Barenbrug Contribute to New Education Facility

Barenbrug have helped towards the cost of renovating and opening a new education facility in memory of Suffolk naturalist, Grenville Clarke (BEM), at The Green Light Trust in Lawshall near Bury St. Edmunds.

The new facility was opened by Elizabeth Clarke, the widow of Grenville Clarke and Clare, Countess of Euston, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk.

The Green Light Trust is a UK registered environmental charity that believes in the power of nature to transform lives. The opening of the classroom will enable children visiting the Trust to expand its provision and support for those children and young people in Suffolk who have complex needs which cannot be easily accommodated within a mainstream educational setting. 

The classroom is named after the late well-known local naturalist and environmentalist Grenville Clarke, who’s passion for the environment inspired others to take up an interest in Suffolk’s beautiful setting and to appreciate the value of the natural world. Elizabeth Clarke said: “A friend of The Green Light Trust for nearly three decades, my husband would be delighted to know that a former tool store has been repurposed to provide a facility that will inspire future generations not only with a love of nature, but with the impetus to refocus and keep their lives on track.”

The dedicated space enables the educational needs and development of participants to be supported either on a one-to-one basis or within small groups.  This is in addition to the participants having access to the woodland and green space which is a fundamental part of the work that the Green Light Trust undertakes. Utilising the new facility, the Trust will be able to expand its educational offering to vulnerable groups of young people delivering GCSE courses in addition to the well-structured and meaningful programmes which the Trust currently runs. These existing courses use the power of nature as a catalyst to improve wellbeing which leads to better life choices, opportunities, and outcomes.

Tom Brown, CEO of The Green Light Trust said: “The global pandemic has thrown into stark relief the inequality around opportunity for some of the most disadvantaged children and young people in Suffolk. The last 16 months severely disrupted education, and wreaked havoc on the mental wellbeing of some of the most vulnerable members of our community. The new classroom facility will enable us to increase the numbers of those children and young people that we can support and ensure that those most impacted by inequality and lack of opportunity can change their lives for the better. The new facility will provide those we support with a second chance which will potentially transform their lives.”

As a key Corporate Charity Partner of The Green Light Trust, Barenbrug UK support the charity by providing assistance through volunteer days and regular donations. The Barenbrug Helping with Hands Trust contributed a substantial amount towards the cost of the conversion. Paul Johnson, Managing Director of Barenbrug UK said: “We were delighted to be able to help fund this project, which will provide a facility that supports children and young people in Suffolk for the future.”

“The pandemic has had an impact on us all, and it has affected younger members of our community in terms of their mental wellbeing and future life choices.  We felt that this project would really help those who are most disadvantaged in our community to recover from the damage that the last 16 months has left. It is important that we give back and support our local community. Nothing can be more important than doing all that we can as both individuals and as a business to make sure that people recover and can put the disruption to their lives behind them.” 

Find out more about the Green Light Trust here: www.greenlighttrust.org.