Identifying wildlife named as an “endangered skill”

Identifying wildlife has been named as one of the most endangered everyday skills in the UK, according to a survey by a Peterborough-based charity.

 

The skills register highlights how skills that were widely known sixty years ago could be on the verge of being forgotten.

 

The Endangered Skills Register has been compiled by Greeniversity, a nationwide project to bring about a community skill-sharing revolution.  It is run by Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT) and asked respondents which three skills they felt were most at risk from becoming a dying art.

 

The two highest ranking responses, chosen by almost half of respondents, were wildlife identification and repairing household items. 

The top 10 endangered skills that were named are:

  • Repairing household items;
  • Wildlife identification;
  • Foraging for wild food;
  • Making and mending clothes;
  • Woodwork;
  • Traditional building techniques;
  • Growing food;
  • DIY and home improvement e.g. hanging wallpaper, putting up a shelf;
  • Preparing meals from scratch;
  • Fixing a bike puncture.

Greeniversity started in Peterborough in 2010 and PECT was then awarded funding to launch the project nationally. It has put on hundreds of free classes across the country, from showing people how to grow mushrooms to making their own beauty products from natural ingredients.

 

All the classes are run by volunteer teachers who want to pass on their expertise and knowledge.

 

PECT has regional co-ordinators working in London, Bristol, and Manchester.

 

 

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