Oxford Brookes University is official Learning Programme partner for OxTrail

Schools and community groups in and around Oxford will benefit from a new learning pack developed by Oxford Brookes University for this summer’s Sobell House Hospice OxTrail.

As the official Learning Programme partner for OxTrail, Oxford Brookes University welcomed representatives from more than 80 local primary and secondary schools, as well as community groups, to its Harcourt Campus last week. Participants learned more about the vital work of Sobell Hospice and collected their very own fibreglass mini ox which will be painted and displayed in mini herds as part of the city-wide trail. 

A special Mini-Herd Learning Resources Pack, for pupils aged 6-15 years old, has been designed and developed by Oxford Brookes for participating schools providing guidance on how to decorate the oxen as well as being packed with ideas and inspiration for a range of cross-curricular learning activities.

The learning suggestions have been compiled by a team of academics at Oxford Brookes including the School of Education, Humanities and Languages, Oxford Brookes Poetry Centre, the Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, and the Confucius Institute. 

Professor Alistair Fitt, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University, said: “Oxford Brookes University is proud to support Sobell House Hospice as the Learning Programme partner for OxTrail 2024.

“Our founder, John Henry Brookes, believed that everyone should have access to education. That’s why he created the college that we were founded upon, and it’s why our University exists today. We’re therefore delighted that such a wide range of schools and youth groups will be engaging with OxTrail and the accompanying learning programme.”

Ariya Nair, OxTrail Learning Programme Co-ordinator, said: “We are anticipating fundraising of around £70,000 for the hospice through the Learning Programme and approximately 37,600 young people and their families will be involved in the moo-vement, not to mention staff from each of the schools taking part.”

OxTrail will launch to the public on 6 July 2024 and the art will be on display until early September 2024. After this, the sculptures will be auctioned to raise money for the hospice which provides compassionate care to people with life-limiting illnesses in Oxfordshire.

For more information see the Learning Programme page on the OxTrail website.