“The Trolls of Eycott – they’re bad ‘uns” was inspired by their involvement in a project at Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Eycott Hill Nature Reserve and tells the story of some very troublesome trolls, a fabulous frog, and a wicked witch! The performance is based on an animated film that the drama group, from Cumbria County Council’s Edington Centre for adults with learning disabilities, produced as part of a project with Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Prism Arts. The project was possible thanks to Lottery Players, and support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. 

Jody Ferguson, Eycott Hill Nature Reserve project officer for Cumbria Wildlife Trust said: “The play has toured around Cumbria and beyond for over a year now, with seasonal adaptations for Christmas, and has reached an estimated 700 people, which is absolutely fantastic. Through their work the Edington Centre performers are sharing Eycott Hill Nature Reserve with people who might never get the chance to visit in person and are promoting the nature reserve in a unique way. We’re delighted that they support Cumbria Wildlife Trust in this way and wanted to thank them, and recognise their achievements, with AQA Unit Awards.” 

“Working in partnership with Cumbria Wildlife Trust has provided the members of Edington drama group with so many wonderful opportunities and for the performers to then have their efforts recognised via the awarding of AQA Unit Award Scheme certificates is simply the icing on the cake.” – M. Fuchs, The Edington Centre.

The animated film that inspired the play, produced with The Haltwhistle Film Project, draws on the wildlife, geology, and folklore of Eycott Hill Nature Reserve to create an entertaining tale of an adventure gone wrong and can be viewed at on our Eycott Hill project page 

Cumbria Wildlife Trust is registered with AQA for the delivery of the Unit Award Scheme from their Gosling Sike Centre in Carlisle. This means that individuals volunteering with the Trust can have their achievements in a range of subjects from practical conservation, to wildlife identification and surveying, and the arts, recognised with the award of a certificate.

Work at Eycott Hill Nature Reserve is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund who awarded £1.6 million towards the purchase price and an ongoing five year programme of conservation and activities to benefit wildlife and people.

Located between Keswick and Penrith, near to the village of Mungrisdale, Eycott Hill is 216 hectares of exceptionally rich wildlife habitat and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest for the plants in the swamps and mires and its geology.