8th Folkestone Guides:
With Jenny's support, 8th Folkestone Guides have been developing skills in orienteering, visiting Folkestone's Pent Stream and have written to their MP about issues important to them. They have taken beach and river walks, including a beach litter pick, and have taken part in rock pooling sessions organised by Kent Wildlife Trust.
Blue Influencer Project:
8th Folkestone Guide's project involves looking at Fast Fashion and it's impact on 'blue' matters, including water usage and pollution. They have been working with a local women's art activism group - a:dress - learning about fast fashion and plastic pollution, and even upcycling different materials into clothes and fashion accessories which will be showcased at a fashion show. The group even received a commendation for their actions in the 2024 Wilder Kent Awards!
Rocks, Fossils and Roll Camera! The 8th Folkestone Guides Tell Kent's Story
Most geology lessons don't end with plans for a documentary. For the 8th Folkestone Guides, that's exactly where things are heading.
Building on the success of their Blue Influencers pilot journey, the Guides swapped ordinary meetings for adventures exploring Folkestone's fascinating geology, fossils, coastal erosion and climate change. An after hours visit to Folkestone Museum introduced them to millions of years of history, while outdoor sessions brought those stories to life beneath their own feet.
As their confidence grew, so did their ambitions.
Working alongside Kent Downs National Landscape, GeoAmbassadors and Screen South, the Guides began developing plans for a youth-led documentary celebrating Folkestone's spectacular landscape. They explored interviewing techniques, storytelling, filming and creative planning, discovering that protecting nature sometimes starts with telling its story well.
A visit to Samphire Hoe added even more inspiration, with dramatic cliffs and incredible wildlife providing plenty of ideas for future filming.
Their enthusiasm and commitment didn't go unnoticed. The project was recognised with a Bronze Wilder Kent Award, celebrating not only what they had learned but the difference they were making.
The Guides proved that environmental action isn't just about collecting litter or planting trees. Sometimes it's about picking up a camera, asking thoughtful questions and helping other people see the natural world through fresh eyes.
And if a few fossils managed to steal the spotlight along the way, nobody seemed to mind.
A:dress is a company that turns rubbish and old plastic things that could have gone into the ocean into fashion... and for the past few weeks or so, we've been working with them to make our own outfits. We were using rubber beach rings that had blown away, we were using onion skins, crisp packets, all that type of stuff! I had a long-sleeve white shirt which I cut both the sleeves off and made them jagged, made the bottom bit jagged as well, and then I made - myself - a fish tie out of metal.Evie, 8th Folkestone Guides
8th Folkestone guides utter despair at the amount of litter found in their blue spaces, including a shopping trolley!Jenny Luddington, Blue Mentor
8th Folkestone Guides litter pick
8th Folkestone Guides litter pick
8th Folkestone Guides litter pick