Mary Midgley Project

In 2024, a graduate student in philosophy at Durham University approached OASES for support to design and deliver programming aimed at introducing year 6 pupils to the ideas of Newcastle-based philosopher, Mary Midgley. Midgley’s idea of a “mixed community” challenged people to recognise the interconnected nature of humans and other animal populations on Earth. In the resulting outdoor educational sessions, delivered in four Durham schools in the summer term 2025, pupils investigated animal life on their schoolgrounds and were asked to consider, “Are the animals that live around our school part of our school community? If so, what are the implications?” They then constructed mini-beast hotels with rooms designed specifically for different animal populations found on the school grounds.