Explore the Sid Valley with a free library backpack

Free Nature Explorer Backpacks celebrate area’s flora and fauna.

Young nature fans are being offered a free kit to help them explore the glorious Sid Valley.

Sidmouth Library is offering the Nature Explorer Backpacks as a new initiative to encourage children and families to get out and about in the area. Each backpack contains magnifiers, specimen pots and information about the flora and fauna of the area.

The backpacks have been funded with the support of The Keith Owen Fund, Devon County Councillor for Sidmouth, Stuart Hughes and the Sidmouth Library Friends Group.

Sidmouth Library Supervisor Carol Pentecost said: “We live in a wonderful area of natural beauty and we want to help both resident families and visitors discover more about it. The backpacks were developed by our staff as a way of encouraging interest in our local environment, which in turn creates a desire to protect it. Our local Tourist Information Centre is kindly promoting the backpacks to families on holiday who we hope will also visit the library and enjoy our many other services during their visit. In September we plan to promote them through our local schools for class projects.”

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Councillor for Sidmouth, said: “I’m delighted that the contribution from my locality budget will help encourage more children to explore the stunning countryside around us here in East Devon.

“A child who spends time outdoors will be happier, stronger, and more confident. It encourages good physical and mental health and increases their knowledge of the physical world.”