On October 7th, a group of children supported by Go Beyond enjoyed an extraordinary opportunity to connect with nature alongside HRH The Princess of Wales at Windsor Great Park. The visit formed part of the filming for Mother Nature, a quarterly video series launched in May 2025 by Kensington Palace. The series celebrates the wild beauty of the UK’s changing seasons and highlights nature’s powerful role in supporting wellbeing, resilience, and emotional growth.
A Morning of Nature, Learning, and Adventure
On a crisp autumn morning – leaves crunching underfoot and the scent of damp woodland in the air – nine children from Farley Junior Academy in Luton, Bedfordshire joined The Princess for a day of immersive outdoor activities. Around a crackling campfire, the children cooked flatbreads and enjoyed a woodland meal created by acclaimed chef Gill Meller, prepared entirely over the fire.
These moments of hands-on learning offered the children a chance to slow down, explore, and discover the magic of the natural world.
About the Mother Nature Series
The Mother Nature series explores how nature mirrors the complexity of the human experience – unpredictable yet grounding, fierce yet nurturing, wild yet healing. For the children taking part, this woodland experience became far more than a morning outdoors. It was a meaningful opportunity to reconnect with the rhythms of the natural world, building confidence, resilience, and joy.
Watch the Mother Nature Autumn film below:
Go Beyond Children at Windsor Great Park
Many of the children featured in the film have previously attended Go Beyond breaks – free residential experiences for children aged 8 to 13 who are facing significant challenges, including bereavement, caring responsibilities, poverty, or family adversity. These breaks give young people space to breathe, build confidence, try new activities, and create unforgettable positive memories in a safe, supportive environment.
Our Head of Fundraising, Sara Shearman, who joined the group on the day, shared:
“Nature plays such an important role in helping young people to connect, heal and thrive. For our children to be part of this project and spend time with The Princess was an incredible experience, one they will never forget.”
How Go Beyond Helps Children Thrive
For more than 30 years, Go Beyond has provided life-changing breaks for children who need them most. With centres in the beautiful landscapes of Cornwall and Derbyshire, the charity has welcomed more than 20,000 children since 1992. Each experience empowers young people to discover their potential, build resilience, and connect with nature, adventure, and supportive adults who believe in them.
Our mission is simple: to help every young person go beyond the challenges they face and move toward their brightest future.
Why These Breaks Matter
Children across the UK are facing increasing pressures and vulnerabilities:
-
Poverty: By 2023/24, 4.3 million children in the UK are predicted to be living in poverty.
-
Mental Health: Children’s emergency mental health referrals have risen by over 50% in the last three years.
-
Trio of Vulnerabilities: 2.2 million young people in England are affected by domestic abuse, parental substance misuse, or severe parental mental health issues.
-
Young Carers: Around one million children across the UK care for family members with disabilities, illness, or mental health conditions.
Go Beyond breaks are always free of charge, ensuring that children from challenging circumstances can step away from everyday pressures and experience joy, friendship, adventure, and the healing power of the great outdoors.
