A NATURE project bringing young and old together has been documented by its participants in an exhibition of photographs.

Children from Calstock and Stoke Climsland Primaries joined members of the Sensory Trust’s dementia-friendly Walk and Laugh group for the ‘Wild About Calstock’ walks.

Commissioned by Calstock Parish Council, the project’s aim was for people to learn about the local environment and wildlife, and discover how the council’s climate emergency plans are being put into action.

During three guided walks around the woodlands of Cotehele and the riverside wetlands of Calstock, participants discovered edible treasures tucked in hedgerows, identified birds, and learned about the wildlife hidden in the habitats all around.

There was much to delight in as they wandered: on one of the walks, the group gathered chestnuts which they roasted and ate together. For the children, this was something new – and for many of the older ones, a happy memory rekindled.

Project coordinator Judith Robinson said: “All of us had a lovely experience being out in nature, and the interaction between the children and the older people was wonderful.

“As well as learning from the experts, there was also a lot of very natural sharing of knowledge and memories. It’s been really worthwhile on so many levels because of the enjoyment and the relationships that have developed.”

One of the highlights for both old and young was birdwatching on the Tamar Walkway.

“We were joined by a local bird ringer, David Scott, who explained his role and delighted the group by showing us the birds he had netted that afternoon – including a robin, two blackbirds, a goldcrest, a wren and a spectacular kingfisher! There was so much wonder in seeing this bird at close quarters.”

The trips culminated with a visit to The Box in Plymouth, where the group saw a rare collection of Tamar Valley butterflies and observed how things special to their home parish are being celebrated and archived in the museum.

The event as a whole was led by The Photobook Project, an initiative where those taking part document their experiences with images then kept as a permanent record.

“The idea is that a single-use camera is passed around the group and each person has the chance to take at least one photo. There are three photobooks, one for each of the walks, and they include some of the things that were gathered.

“We’ve also had some of the photos enlarged and framed.”

On the back of the success of Wild About Calstock, partner the Tamara Landscape Project will now continue to work with local schools and care homes and is looking ahead to how these groups might get involved in a River Festival planned for October.

“It’s been a joy to work on this, and just shows what can be done when everybody comes together,” says Judith.

‘Wild About Calstock’ the exhibition will be at Calstock Arts until March 28 (10am-4pm).