Bishops Wood Centre near Stourport will be playing host to a group of international environmentalists later this month.  More than 20 environmentalists from as far afield as Poland, Sweden and Turkey will visit the centre on November 30 as part of fact-finding trip to Britain to look at sustainability.

The group members are guests of the Field Studies Council and are visiting Britain to look at examples of the teaching of sustainable development.  During their week-long visit, the group will spend time at Bishops Wood Centre, which is considered to be one of Europe’s most innovative providers of environmental education and training.

Head of centre, John Rhymer will take the group around the centre’s award winning building.  Built as an example of good practice for ‘green’ architecture, the building has many innovative features including the use of organic paints, recycled telephone directories to insulate the walls, roofs insulated with turf, a reed bed sewage system, and solar heated water and passive solar cooling.  In addition the group will see some of the groups which visit the centre for a range of activities including the Forest School which uses the woodland as an outdoor classroom where children can explore, investigate and discover their natural environment. 

John said:  ‘We are delighted that the Field Studies Council has chosen to visit Bishops Wood Centre as part of its very busy schedule.  We will be able to show their visitors the initiatives and best practices that have put Bishops Wood Centre at the forefront of environmental education in the country.’

Bishops Wood Centre stands in the grounds of the Bishops Wood electricity substation and is run as a partnership between National Grid, Worcestershire County Council and Worcester College of Technology.

National Grid

National Grid is a leading international energy infrastructure business - the largest utility in the UK.

Through National Grid Gas plc (formerly Transco), it owns and operates over 6,800 kilometres of high-pressure transmission pipeline across Great Britain, and 132,000 kilometres of lower-pressure distribution gas mains in the North West, the Midlands, East Anglia and North London – more than half of Britain's gas transportation network, delivering gas to around 11 million homes, offices and factories.  National Grid sold the four gas distribution networks covering the rest of Britain to other companies in June 2005.

Through National Grid Electricity Transmission plc, the company operates the high-voltage electricity transmission network across Great Britain, and owns the network in England and Wales.

National Grid will continue to manage the National Gas Emergency Service freephone line 0800 111 999*.

National Grid Environmental education centres

Bishop's Wood is part of National Grid's network of environmental education centres based on electricity substation sites around the UK.  Our centres are run in partnership with local education authorities, environmental charities and other organisations, and provide outdoor learning opportunities for schools and a range of activities and training for adults, community groups and companies.

National Grid environmental education centre sites range in size from a few acres in an urban setting to 80 acres of meadows and ancient woodland.  All provide a safe and secure environment for all age groups to learn about their natural world.