Caru’r Coed Forest School: Nature, Wellbeing and Welsh Language Learning
May 27th 2026
With support from a £6,300 Pen y Cymoedd Micro Fund award, Caru’r Coed Forest School has delivered bilingual Forest School sessions for children across the Rhondda, helping young people build confidence, creativity and a connection with nature.
The funding enabled the project to provide accessible outdoor learning sessions for schools, nurseries and community groups, with activities including campfire cooking, nature crafts, tool use and child-led play.
So far, more than 120 children and young people have taken part. Feedback from schools and nurseries has been overwhelmingly positive, with one school describing the sessions as a “fantastic experience” for both children and staff.
The project has also had a positive impact on the growth of Caru’r Coed as a new business. Strong word-of-mouth recommendations have led to new opportunities across the area of benefit and further afield, helping to build a more sustainable and diverse client base for the future.
The project has also encouraged schools to invest further in outdoor learning, creating lasting opportunities for children to enjoy and care for the natural world through the medium of Welsh.
The Fund was established by energy company Vattenfall to benefit the communities hosting the Pen y Cymoedd wind farm across the upper Neath, Afan, Rhondda and Cynon Valleys. It exists to support local people, groups and organisations to invest in themselves, their ideas and their communities.
The Community Fund has a substantial annual budget that is index-linked, meaning it increases in line with inflation. As an example, this equated to around £2.5 million in 2025. The Fund will continue to support communities until 2043, creating long-term opportunities for growth, resilience and positive change.
The Fund is managed by an independent, locally based not-for-profit Community Interest Company. It is overseen by a Board of Directors with strong local connections and delivered by a small but dedicated staff team with extensive community engagement experience. We are here to help ensure the Fund delivers on the vision and priorities of local communities.
Over the next 10 years, the Fund is focusing on investment in people, places and businesses — helping the Valleys to thrive, driving bold ideas, supporting transformation and creating lasting impact for current and future generations.