The Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership has announced the completion of a government-funded project to inspire young people to care for the environment.

The Earth Trust’s new ‘Earth Lab’, at Little Wittenham near Didcot, will double the charity’s capacity to engage young people and provide opportunities for bringing environmental science to life.

The project also sees the renovation of a former barn into a new ‘Innovation Hub’, which will offer multi-use business units for sustainability-conscious businesses, as well as acting as an inspiring welcome for visitors.This is Oxfordshire:

Earth Lab will provide flexible classroom space, enabling Earth Trust to deliver science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and art-based environmental education, improving the skills and confidence of people of all ages.

The building of Earth Lab itself showcases a host of eco-friendly materials and features, incorporating natural building materials that lock up carbon.

OxLEP secured £1.49m of funding for the project via the government’s Local Growth Fund – the overall cost of the project is £2.9m.

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Nigel Tipple – OxLEP Chief Executive – said: “The completion of such a significant project is excellent news.

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Jayne Manley – CEO at Earth Trust – said: “It has been fantastic to see our vision for Earth Lab and the Innovation Hub become a reality.”