Forty years ago, in 1969, the world was looking up to the heavens when Neil Armstrong made his ‘giant leap for mankind’. At the dawn of this new space age, something extraordinary was being launched much closer to home — the Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre (SCEEC) near Didcot, now managed by the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT).

SCEEC has been helping to stir the imaginations of Oxfordshire’s children, about the most amazing place in our solar system — Earth — for generations. It has been opening hearts and minds to the wonders of the natural world since man landed on the moon 40 years ago.

And the centre, which is run by a partnership comprising BBOWT, Oxfordshire County Council and RWE npower, recently celebrated its 40th anniversary.

Steve Backshall, BBC wildlife action man and BBOWT’s honorary vice-president led the celebrations.

Representatives from Oxfordshire County Council, RWE npower and a host of other guests joined in the celebrations with the usual birthday rituals of cake and song.

Appropriately though, it was children from Sutton Courtenay All Saints Primary School who stole the show with a short play about the history of the centre and local wildlife.

Steve is a great supporter of the centre: “I feel it’s essential that kids have a place where they can learn about the wonders of birdsong and bug spotting, get their hands dirty, and hopefully become enthused with the wild world in the same way I did. Sutton Courtenay has been vitally important in this role for 40 years.”

The ethos of BBOWT’s education programmes is “head, hands, heart”. Children and young people who participate are encouraged to learn new facts, practise new skills and take what they learn to heart, giving them a way to help to change their local environment for the better.

Connecting children to our environment is what Sutton Courtenay is all about, and it can be the start of a lifelong interest and affection for wildlife.

Dr. Georgina Westbrook was a child when she first visited Sutton Courtenay. Now a trained chemist working for the Association of Science Education, Georgina remembers Sutton Courtenay as a great place to foster excitement about science and the environment: “In 1990, aged ten, I went to a weekend camp at Sutton Courtenay as a Girl Guide. I remember the site being a great place to go and explore. We looked at all the creepy-crawlies and tried to learn about some of the plants that we found, although the bugs were far more interesting.

“It was a great weekend where we made new friends, learned new skills and had lots of fun. The nature reserve was an excellent environment in which to do all of this.”

BBOWT’s invaluable work at SCEEC would not be possible without the support of key partners.

Speaking about RWE npower’s involvement with the Centre, Steve Waygood, regulation manager at Didcot Power Station, said: “We’re a proud supporter of the work that SCEEC is doing to inspire young people in Oxfordshire to think about how they can live greener lives, for example, by saving energy.

“It’s hugely encouraging to see young people’s enthusiasm to learn more about the environment.” Charlotte Christie, manager of Oxfordshire County Council’s Outdoor Learning Service, said: “Oxfordshire County Council is pleased to be a part of this successful partnership which provides a high-quality learning environment for children and their families.”

In 2000, a new centre building was constructed at the site – a stunning example of eco-friendly architecture, boasting an array of features to lessen its impact on the environment.

Local and sustainably-sourced timbers make up the bulk of the building, and organic and low-toxicity paint adds a dash of colour.

A sedum roof helps to replace the footprint of the building and provide habitat for insects.

Water is conserved on site and, wherever possible, recycled materials are used in the building.

But keeping the ecological footprint of visitors and staff low does not stop there — recycling is meticulously carried out on site, a wildlife garden is tended by volunteers and the nature reserve is managed sympathetically for the wildlife it supports.

Sutton Courtenay’s staff and volunteers are very proud of SCEEC’s environmental credentials, and rightly so. Today Sutton Courtenay is managed by Linda Knight and supported by tireless volunteers. Trained as a teacher, Linda worked in primary education for 11 years before applying her experience to education outside the classroom.

She said: “Schools are turning more and more to sustainable living and the ‘learning outside the classroom’ agenda which can only be a positive move to getting people to have more empathy with their environment.”

Forty years on, the centre is still going strong and its work is more relevant today than when it all began. Christopher Williams, BBOWT’s head of people and wildlife, said: “Issues like climate change mean that understanding the natural world is more relevant now than ever.

“Our education centre at Sutton Courtenay provides hands-on learning experiences for children across Oxfordshire, which will help them adapt to those challenges ahead.

“It also inspires them to want to look after the natural world now and into the future. Let’s hope Sutton Courtenay thrives for another 40 years too.”