LOCHORE Meadows was the venue for a major initiative to encourage youngsters to enjoy stories and think about the outdoors.

The Living Lomonds Landscape Partnership hosted the second of two Big Picnic and storytelling events at Lochore Meadows Country Park. The event is part of a wider project, which is taking place in a number of local primary schools. It involves involving three talented artists working with the children to encourage interest and inspire creativity around adventures and sharing food in the outdoors.

The LLLP is an association of organisations in Fife and Perth & Kinross who have come together to deliver a landscape conservation programme throughout 2013 – 2016.

Following a successful proposal in 2013 they have received funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund alongside other funding bodies including Scottish Natural Heritage, Fife Council, Fife Environment Trust, Historic Scotland and Prince’s Countryside Fund.

The project devised by artists Rosie Gibson, Jan Hendry and Owen Pilgrim, has seen them work with seven different primary classes across the Lomonds and Benarty area, encouraging pupils to talk to family and friends about picnics and to record their stories in creative writing and artwork.

The children’s work was on display at Lochore Meadows, allowing visitors to see how much effort the children have already put into the project.

The inclement weather meant that last Sunday’s event was held inside, but this didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of those who attended. The range of activities offered included a big focus on ideas for picnic food. Children and parents made pitta bread pockets and filled them with tasty dips, and made and decorate cupcakes. Artist Jan Hendry commented, “These Big Picnic days have been a great opportunity to hear people’s stories and to tell them about the project. The pick and mix of activities has created a relaxed atmosphere in the true spirit of picnics.” Another highlight for many of the children was listening to the story of the Picnic Queen and her family, inspired by the school-children’s researches. Everyone was invited to listen to the story sitting round the Big Picnic Rug specially created by the Woolly Tree Gang, a group of volunteer textile enthusiasts who meet at the Centre for Stewardship in Falkland. Children made their own story characters to take home and picnic stories and information were swapped around the interactive Big Picnic Map. Sarah-Jane Le Blanc, who brought her son Noah to the event said, “As a child I spent much of my time outside, playing games, cycling and enjoying open spaces, many of which have now gone. “When I saw this advertised I thought it was a brilliant idea, this is a great way to get out meet people and enjoy the outdoors. Noah loves picnics at any time of the year!” For the pupils involved in the project the adventure continues after the Easter holidays when they will go on a picnic within walking distance of their school with the artistic team to explore what makes the perfect picnic site The team then hope to work with the children to design a leaflet for local families, with a map suggesting good picnic spots, some picnic history and recipes and guidelines for being out in the countryside.