The Resident Events Panel hosted its most recent family friendly event, the “Riverside Ecology Hunt”.
Now a well-established resident-led group creating popular events in the Barking Riverside calendar, the Resident Events Panel (REP) have organised a variety of community activities to date funded by Barking Riverside Limited including the “Wilds Fiesta” and the much-loved Barking Summer Games – an annual favourite.
Having taken place on the 2nd March, the Riverside Ecology Hunt was a family-friendly daytime activity which brought together residents to learn about the green spaces where they live.
The event centred around the newly unveiled Wildlife & Wellbeing trail. A partnership project with Create London, the trail was designed to encourage people to discover Barking Riverside’s wildlife and ecology, with sculptures in the landscape to pinpoint the circular route.
REP member Leesha said:“The launch of the Wildlife & Wellbeing trail provided a perfect opportunity for us to plan an event to highlight the installation whilst offering a day of family fun. We planned the Riverside Ecology Hunt with the view to encourage interaction between residents as they learnt more about the natural spaces where they live.
“Whilst fostering this deeper connection to the wildlife and green areas at Barking Riverside, we hope that in turn the event has helped to build a stronger sense of belonging for the community.”
The REP partnered with Wander Wild Forest School to host their own informative and fun guided walk, which educated attendees on the natural environment with interesting facts about the habitats of various local species. Small treats were given out along the hunt as children were encouraged to spot birdlife, bugs and other creatures. “Warm hubs” were scheduled as stops along the way, where guests enjoyed tasty hot beverages and snacks. The ecology hunt ended with London-based activity provider, Reptiles Etc, hosting an animal takeover in The Wilds, which enabled kids and parents to get hands on with and learn more about the wildlife that calls Barking Riverside home.
“There is a really strong community for families at Barking Riverside,” REP member Beata added. “We have fantastic local people who provide amazing classes and events for children and their parents. We were eager to partner with local groups, Wander Wild Forest School and SENspired, to encourage people to explore the local environment whilst on a fun day out with their families and neighbours.”
Further activities and treats were on offer with space for children to relax after all the fresh air.
Keep an eye on the Barking Riverside social media channels for future REP events and how you can get involved.
By Resident Events Panel
