January 15th is our last day for Just Giving donations to Lost Words Kent.

Grateful thanks to all our donors, patrons and supporters. Today our Just Giving page will close. We will make the draw for the Jackie Morris otter and post the name of the winner on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - as well as the website on the 23rd of January. Please could the lucky winner then send their postal address to us so that we can ensure the otter finds its way to its new home. Our contact details will be on the website lostwordskent.wordpress.com.

We will continue to update you about progress on the social media sites. Just Giving states that it takes up to ten days to process the funds. As soon as the funds clear, we will be ordering the books and then start the delivery of them. All the books should be delivered during this school term.January 15th is our last day for Just Giving donations to Lost Words Kent.

We are delighted to announce that Jackie Morris has given us four delightful original paintings to boost our final push to our target. Each painting will be given to the first person making a minimum donation of £200 for a 10 x 25 cm painting, and a minimum donation of £1,000 for a 75 x 57 cm painting on the Just Giving Site. Please do make it clear in the comment section - when you make your donation - which otter painting you would like.

These two acrobatic otters are looking for a new river to swim in. This is your opportunity to support the Lost Words Kent Campaign with a donation of £200 and gain a reward of two delightful playfellows. (Dimensions of painting: 10 x 25 cm) Small painting 'Back to back otters'.

Make your donation for a minimum of two hundred pounds if you wish to gain this reward. State clearly which painting it is that you would like in the comment section when you make your donation. Please e.mail lostwordskent@gmail.com to give your delivery details.

The Mission

Lost Words Kent is a county-wide crowdfunding campaign to raise money to donate a copy of ‘The Lost Words’ to every primary and special school in Kent and so reseed the magic of nature in the imaginations of children in our classrooms.

The campaign runs Monday 15th October to Thursday 15th November 2018.

Alongside the book, we will provide materials to support its creative and inspirational use by teachers and students beyond the classroom so that ‘The Lost Words’ can become a catalyst for hands-on reconnection with the natural world.

Lost Words Kent is supported by: Kent Wildlife Trust, the RSPB, AONB Kent Downs and High Weald, Tenterden and District Museum, Tenterden District National Trust Association, Councillor Mike Hill and Councillor Roger Gough.

A big 'thank you' to our patrons who have donated upwards of £100:

Badgells Wood Camping, Stefanie and Alex Seddon, Matthew Scott, Mat and Kate Waugh, Pumpkin Moon, Annabel McCaffrey, Joan Tovey, Hannah & Pete Knowles Riverford Home Delivery East Kent and Sally Beare Riverford Home Delivery Tunbridge Wells, Nonington Farms, Sarah and Francis Salway

The Reason

The Oxford Junior Dictionary reflects children’s everyday language use, as demonstrated by established algorithms. In 2007, all of the words featured in ‘The Lost Words’ – from “acorn” to “wren” by way of “bluebell” and “kingfisher” were dropped from the dictionary because they weren’t being used enough. Children aren’t talking about the natural world around them.

Introduction to ‘The Lost Words,’ by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris

The aim of ‘The Lost Words’ is to give the words and the objects that they name back to children, in the hope that this will reawaken their passion for the natural word. Spell-poems by the award-winning writer Robert Macfarlane and illustrations by Jackie Morris capture the wondrous combination – the magic – of language and nature.

The Challenge

In Kent, we need to raise at least £6,100 to spread the magic across the county by giving each of our primary schools and special schools a copy of ‘The Lost Words’ and ‘Exploring the Lost Words’ – an activity and ideas resource written by Eva John and published by the John Muir Trust and potentially touching the lives of children across the county, offering them the chance to connect back to nature and enjoy its proven benefits. It could also inspire the new generation to work towards a better future for our planet. As Chaucer put it centuries ago, ‘Tall oaks from little acorns grow.’

A preview of the beautiful original illustration of an otter (10 x 25) by Jackie Morris in Sumi ink ground and painted with spring water from Dunster spring. Anyone donating to Lost Words Kent is entered into a draw to win this painting created especially for the Lost Words Kent campaign.

How you can help?

Anyone donating any amount to the campaign and/or helping to spread the word will have helped reseed Lost Words in Kent. Thank you.

Anyone donating will be entered into our free prize draw to win an original illustration 'The Otter' by Jackie Morris and created especially for the Lost Words Kent campaign. (25cm x 63.5cm/10” x 25”)

Anyone donating £100 – a wonderful ten books for schools – will be invited to become a named patron of the campaign. Those donating £500 – enabling a fantastic 50 schools to benefit – can receive a special signed copy of ‘The Lost Words.’

It works

As part of a pilot project a copy of the book was given to primary schools in the heart of Kent and provided a starting point for some inspired teaching.

Mrs Thomas, Kent Primary School Teacher

It’s do-able

Similar campaigns are happening – and succeeding – across the country. All want to bring the language of nature back to the children of their communities.

Other campaigns include Scotland, Devon, Dorset, Sheffield, Norfolk, Cornwall, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, London, York & North Yorkshire, Hull & East Yorkshire. Let’s give the children of the Garden of England their chance to join this campaign and re-engage with the language of the outdoors, the countryside and nature.

Above and Beyond

If we raise extra funds, we would like to go further by providing a book and resources to secondary schools, as well as to libraries, museums and other learning hubs. This would enable access for families in school holidays and on weekends and for children who are educated outside mainstream schools; children like Charlie, who is autistic.

Charlie’s Dad