Barry Comprehensive School

One of the islands impressive solar panels.	Exploring the wartime ammunition stores	Checking out the lighthouse and the Victorian water store

On a warm, dry, calm October day, seventeen pupils from Barry Comprehensive School and three adults set out for Flat Holm Island in the Bristol Channel. With lots of activities arranged it was sure to be an exciting and busy weekend.

Checking that the boat '‘Lewis Alexander’ is on course for Flat Holm	Teamwork soon gets the luggage moved up from the dock

There were plenty of chances to walk around the island and learn about its history and also about the conservation programme which is in force. Boys learnt survival techniques such as building fires and shelters, about which berries and plants were safe to eat and how difficult it was to catch a rabbit.

Fire lighting as part of survival skills training	Making an SOS sign as part of survival skills training

In classroom based Global Footprint and Global Aquarium activities they learnt about how what they did as individuals had an impact on our planet.

There was plenty of time for games in the fresh air	Building a shelter isn't as easy as it looks

Armed with plastic gloves and bin bags the boys picked up litter washed up on Coal Beach. They then recorded the information which will be added to that collected from other parts of the UK.

Conducting a beach cleanup and survey	Hunting for slowworms

On the feedback form for Alex, the warden, and the Flat Holm team, the boys declared that the weekend had been “better than excellent”. They felt that it was a once in a lifetime experience and no-one wanted to go home. We had all made new friends, had a wonderful time and all agreed that it would be great to do it again.

Taking in the view	The Flat Holm group outside their farmhouse accommodation

Mon, 8 Nov 2009