Otter © Danny Green/2020VISION
Ottermistic Futures
Nurturing nature
Ottermistic Futures are a group of Year 8 students at St Dunstan's School in Glastonbury, who took part in the Blue Influencers Scheme this year. This youth-led scheme, funded by the educational charity Ernest Cook Trust and the #iwill fund, supports young people aged 10 - 14 to design and deliver water-based environmental projects that protect wildlife and local communities.
Over the course of 2025, the group met weekly to discuss their ideas and gather momentum. They decided to produce a film to raise awareness about otters on the Avalon Marshes, an internationally important landscape just a few miles from their school.
The young people divided roles amongst themselves to include narrators, dancers, choreographers and script writers. They then headed to the Avalon Marshes to record the video, with the support of local video production company Flying Tiger Productions.
It has been a real pleasure to work with the group, who are now planning their next move to keep on speaking up for nature and wildlife in their community.Blue Mentor, Somerset Wildlife Trust
The film has been a huge success, and the young people even got to show the film to Glastonbury's local MP Sarah Dyke, who was in awe of their hard work.
Their project demonstrates how a small group of passionate young people can come together and creatively engage with wildlife to promote all that it has to offer.
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For more information about The Ernest Cook Trust’s Blue Influencers Scheme visit Influencers Schemes – The Ernest Cook Trust
For information about Blue Influencers Scheme in Somerset email our Blue Mentor Thibaud: thibaud.sulzer@somersetwildlife.org