MosaicLegacyMaterialsCaseStudy4:LeiaHoggarth,YoungChampion,LakeDistrictNationalPark

LeiaHoggarth,18,isfromBarrowinFurness,Cumbria.SheattendsFurnessCollegeandhelpscareforherdisabledmumandyoungerbrotherathome.ShegotinvolvedwithMosaicinMarch2015whenherfriendBethHelmtextedherafterattendingaFullCycle1tasterday.BethwaspersuasiveandLeiathoughtitsoundedlikesomethingshemightenjoyandcamealongtothefollowingFullCyclesessioninBorderMossWoodsintheLakeDistrict.Theyspentthedaylearninghowtocoppice-choppinghazelbrancheslowtotheground.

ThatfirstdayhadabigimpactonLeia.Shecouldn’tbelievehowgooditwasandhowniceeveryonewastoher.ShebecameacorememberoftheFullCyclegroupofvolunteers;meetingmonthlytotakepartinacycleofwoodlandactivitiessuchascharcoalmaking,woodturning,campingandevenforgingherowntools.Shehasalsoattendedalocalwoodworkweekend,twooftheMosaicannualeventsintheYorkshireDalesandExmoorNationalParksandhaschallengedherselfbytakingpartindeliveringpresentationsaboutFullCycletostaffandmembersoftheLakeDistrictNationalParkAuthority.Anotherchallengewasbeingpartofagroupandmeetingnewpeople,butshehasgainedloadsofconfidenceovertheyearandnowisalotmorecomfortablemakingfriendsandbeingpartofagroup.Shesays“MosaichasintroducedmetodifferentexperiencesIhadn'theardofandwouldnothavetriedotherwise.It’sgivenmeanewrangeofskills,openedupwhat’saroundmeandshownmecareeropportunitiesIwouldneverhavethoughtabout.Thishashelpedmebuildmyconfidenceandselfesteemaswellasmeetingawesomepeople.Leia’slatestachievementisgettingajobatnearbyDaltonZoo.Shewenttotheinterviewandthewomaninterviewingsaid“Iseeyou’vebeenvolunteeringandyouaregoingtocarryon...Wellthat’sthesortofpeoplewewant.You’vegotthejob”.InthefutureLeiahopestostartacareerworkingintheoutdoorsbygettingontoarangerapprenticeshipintheLakeDistrict.Somethingshewouldn’thaveknownabouthadshenottakenpartinMosaic.Leiasays“I’venothingbadtosayaboutMosaic.It’sjustbeenbrilliantandI’veenjoyedeveryminuteofit.”ClareDyson,MosaicProjectOfficer.March2016TheCampaignforNationalParksrantheMosaicyouthprojectfrom2013-2016inpartnershipwiththeYHAandfiveNationalParkAuthorities(Exmoor,LakeDistrict,NewForest,NorthumberlandandYorkshireDales).Theprojectaimedtomakepositivechangesinyoungpeople’slivesthroughengagingwithNationalParks.www.cnp.org.uk.

1 TheFullCycleprojectwasrunbyLakeDistrictNationalPark,CNPandWoodmatters.ItwasapilotandintroducedyoungpeoplefromBarrow-in-FurnesstowoodlandskillsatasiteintheRuslandValley.

LeiaHoggarth(left)withBethHelm,RuslandValley,Cumbria