Darlington schools are being offered the chance of extra teaching support to educate children about the environment.

The Tees Forest environmental organisation, whose backers include the Countryside Agency and the five borough councils in the Tees Valley, has employed Hazel Souter as a Lifelong Learning Programme Officer.

Under the programme, schools pay £120 a day or £60 a half day for Hazel to work in their classrooms in a role similar to a supply teacher, devising lessons which help children link the environment to subjects such as geography, science and citizenship.

A former Teesside primary school teacher with a speciality in science, she has been running the programme in a number of Teesside schools since September and it has been so successful that the Tees Forest is rolling it out to Darlington.

Hazel, who has also worked with Mowden Infants in Darlington as part of the programme, said at the launch in the Dolphin Centre: "I am passionate about children and the environment. We are offering an enriching and enjoyable educational experience for the child. It is important that children feel empowered by their knowledge, to care for the environment. We have telephoned all the schools in Darlington and they were all very enthusiastic about the programme."

Clive Davies, director of the Tees Forest, said: "We aim to assist young people to learn about the countryside, how they can shape it and look after it."

Hazel, who is based in Middlesbrough and wants to work in all types of schools, can be contacted on (01642) 300716, fax (01642) 300715 e-mail hazel_teesforest