There’s no such thing as a field studies centre in China. Well, that’s what the schools around here are telling me. That’s why I have spent three months trying to persuade a farm on an island in the Yangtze, that they should hand their brand new facility over to me to create one.
The owners of the farm had built the facility with the idea of turning it into a centre where Chinese parents can send their burnt out kindergarten children for extra English lessons. Children here have no childhood. They are not allowed the common pleasures enjoyed by many British children of kicking a ball around in the park, climbing trees and shoplifting. But education is a lucrative industry here where families choose, because of the expense, to have only one child. Everything is invested in them and parents like to fill their spare time with desk-based activities which will help their future prospects. So I want to help by halting the spread of this disease even in a small way.
What I saw when I was first invited to look at the new farm buildings, was a geography field studies centre. I saw groups of IGCSE and IB students studying the island, the Yangtze estuary, measuring air and water quality, map reading, navigating, drawing and identifying plants. I saw them looking at the patterns of settlements, v
isiting the wind turbines and the small fishing village. I saw them on bicycles cycling past (but not into) the one of the largest naval shipyards in the world. Tourism is a new business sector for the island and I pictured students assessing the tourism potential of the farm and the island.
I saw students from international schools across China coming to do their ‘Week Without Walls’, completing their IB CAS activities and I saw a campsite full of Duke of Edinburgh International Award campers burning their fingers on Trangias and tripping over guy lines.
In short I saw a place alive with young people outdoors being inspired by the wonder of nature to study geography.
So after a summer of meetings where I had to explain what a field studies centre was and why Shanghai needed one, of producing long business plans in a language they couldn’t understand, and numerous sweaty visits to the island, I can report that it’s finally going to happen. Shanghai will have its field studies centre.
Now comes the scary bit. The talking is over and I actually have to do it!
This is where the real work starts and there are certain things which I cannot find in China and so I need help from the UK. Maps is what I don’t have. They are impossible to find because China does not issue detailed maps for public consumption. In any case, most of the students are 
studying the British curriculum so need to use Ordnance Survey maps. Plant and flower identification books are also in short supply, especially in English. I know that some of the flora will be different but much is the same.
So I am putting a call out to Old Blighty for people sympathic to the cause to send maps (O/S and other) and plant identification guides to the Sheffield address below.
Maps – nice new crisps one would be lovely but I am not expecting any of those! I am expecting worn out, battered, unwanted maps from the bottom of your map piles. They are all useful for learning about map reading and for studying the terrain and I can also use them as wallpaper to decorate the rooms if they are a little too battered to use.
I am hoping also to persuade some IGCSE and IB geography teachers to help produce teaching materials for school groups although this might be harder to achieve (I live in hope and can pay!). If you are a geographer with a bit time on your hands, get in touch. I could do with all the help I can get!
As for the field studies centre itself, the facilities are as follows;
- Accommodation for 84 students in 12 x 7 bed en-suite dorms
- Two twin teachers’ bedrooms (en-suite and nicely appointed),
- 4 well-equipped classrooms
- Large canteen
- Large meeting room
- Fishing lakes and a large lawn.
Please send donations of plant identification books and maps to
River Island Field Studies Centre
Room 116
Fortuna House
88 Queen Street
Sheffield S1 2FW
Thanks for your help
Sian Lovegrove FRGS, Shanghai