A SCHEME that allows children around Bradford to escape from city life and spend time in the district's woodlands is expanding to allow them to camp overnight.

The first overnight Forest School takes place at Blackhills campsite, between Bingley and Wilsden, in July, and came from suggestions from children who regularly attend the daytime forest schools.

Run by social enterprise Get Out More, the overnight schools will see young people truly live off the land, collecting their own fire wood, starting their own fires and cooking their own food.

The group, set up to encourage people to engage with nature on a more regular basis, has run sessions in Middleton Woods in Ilkley, Hirst Wood in Saltaire and St Ives in Bingley, for five years, and have a number of sessions on this half term.

But the people behind the events said one question children attending kept asking was "can we stay overnight."

The decision was made to start an overnight school, and they will be shaped by what the young people have said they want to see.

Children aged 10-15 are being invited to the first forest school, and the session will be made up of around 20 children and four qualified adults.

Over the two days and one night there will be games, challenges and free time to explore the extensive woodland at the camp.

Annie Berrington is behind the projects, and knows the woods she works in like the back of her hand.

She said: “ Get Out More forest school involves problem solving, managed risk taking, creativity and co-operation through a mix of games, creative and adventurous activities, learning and reflection. Our holiday programmes are really popular so we have started some weekend programmes for older kids too. They have asked us over and over to put on an overnight camp so this is our first one and I believe the first one in the city.

“Young people will be putting up their own tents, cooking all their meals over a campfire and putting into practice some of the outdoor and bushcraft skills they have learnt at forest school so this is the natural next step for a lot of our intrepid Get Out More children.

"We've got kids attending the forest schools that have been coming here for years. They have grown up with us, and they wanted a bit more of a challenge. Asking if they can have an overnight stay is something that comes up time and time again."

She said that although children will take tents, they will be able to build their own shelters if they want.

"With the forest schools we might make a campfire and cooks some marshmallows, but that is just a snack. On these overnight camps they will have to be cooking their own meals and develop the skills to do that. We''' be making classic camping food as well as dishes like garlic bread made from foraged garlic.

"It will be great for young people, they are out in the open looking after themselves. We will be making sure they are safe, but they will be expected to do things for themselves and clear up once they are done."

She said the woods are completely different in the evening, with nocturnal wildlife that would not be seen during the daytime classes.

The first overnight session, from 11-12 July, is just for one night, but if it proves popular future classes may be extended to multiple evenings.

* For more information about the overnight forest schools, and the daytime schools being held over half term, visit getoutmorecic.co.uk