Hop Spots!

Inspiring Children and Young People to Protect Native Species 

Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) have been awarded a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop a national education project called Hop Spots. The development phase is the opportunity to progress the ideas which formed the original project concept and put plans in place for the full project delivery which will, subject to funding, start in 2027.

Hop Spots! is a project to involve young people in the conservation of amphibians and reptiles and to provide the opportunities to create the next generation of stewards for nature. The project includes a learning pathway – to Connect with, to Learn about and to Act for amphibians and reptiles. This pathway encompasses 3 overarching themes; 

ARC will be working with our regional partners in herpetological ‘hot spots’ or ‘Hop Spots!’, of Merseyside, East Anglia and Dorset and the surrounds. Our lead partner in Merseyside is Sefton Council and our lead partner in East Anglia is the Zoological Society of East Anglia. We will be collaboratively designing outreach programmes to inspire young people to care for nature, from simply enjoying local green spaces, through to advocating for wildlife conservation and working to protect biodiversity. Through a range of activities, we plan for Hop Spots to: 

• Provide Conservation Training: Empower young people with skills and resources to engage in species conservation and explore employment opportunities in the green sector, 

• Create Networking Platforms: Connect young people with like-minded peers and professionals to foster collaboration and engagement in conservation efforts, 

• Reduce Barriers to Participation: Offer accessible volunteering opportunities, task days, and events to inspire action for nature, combat eco-anxiety, and enhance mental wellbeing, 

• Promote Environmental Education: Deliver workshops, lessons, and resources to schools, colleges, and universities, ensuring every child in England has resources available to learn about the importance of native amphibians and reptiles. 

This is just a taster of all the great stuff we have planned! The Development Phase will establish the education resources and write events delivery plans based on consultation in each ‘Hop Spot’ region. 

Call to Action!

1) In order to progress the Hop Spots project to delivery, ARC are raising 'match funding' to support the grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. If you are able to give to ARC's education work please visit our Just Giving campaign page: Help Inspire the Next Generation of Nature Champions! - JustGiving Please share!

2) In addition to regional community consultation, Hop Spots is being developed to maximise the reach of it programmes by working with NGO partners involved in CYP work across the sector. If you are involved in complementary work and want to form beneficial partnerships please let us know by email to [email protected]

Hop Spots is made possible thanks to National Lottery Players via The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which continues to champion heritage and environmental projects across the UK. We are also deeply grateful to  the National Lottery Community Fund, the New Forest Trust, Chapmans Trust and the Bonhomie Trust, whose valuable contributions have furthered ARC's educational programmes.