bonfire fun for our community
Our community came together for a wonderful bonfire night celebration! Families from space2play, parenting classes and our wellbeing for teens groups came together with garden volunteers and the space2grow team to enjoy an evening around the bonfire.
The garden looked magical with fairy lights and lanterns leading the way to the fire. Hot dogs, hot chocolate and many toasted marshmallows were enjoyed and sparklers illuminated the darkness.
Funding support from Farnham Town Council
We'd like to say a huge thank you to Farnham Town Council for funding our Autumn parenting classes, allowing us to support and empower more local parents to achieve happier family lives.
If you'd like to find out more about our parenting classes for younger families or families with teens, please email us.
more awards success!
We were delighted to be invited to the Farnham in Bloom awards and extremely honoured to receive two awards! A Certificate of Excellence from South & South East in Bloom and a Silver Madge Green Community award from Farnham in Bloom.
As always, these awards are won by our whole community and we'd like to say a special thank everyone who volunteers, works for, visits and supports our charity.
reflections from the acre
Our new initiative for pre-school children, space2play, has been a huge success. Led by teacher and qualified Forest School leader Catherine the sessions take place three mornings a week in the garden. Here are Catherine's reflections from the acre.......
"As a teacher with passion for enabling children to learn outside and someone who believes strongly in community support, the opportunity to start the parent and toddler initiative at space2grow was a dream come true. We all need to spend time in nature. Nature connectivity for children supports their well-being as well as their mental and physical development. Research shows that if a child spends time in natural settings, especially with their family, they grow to be adults who will care about the environment and and want to spend their time outside. On a basic level, we need to support our children to learn about and enjoy the natural environment because the world needs this enthusiasm and passion in the future.
I have felt so welcomed at space2grow. The team have supported me with kindness, good advice and encouragement. Being able to work in such a beautiful place brings me joy. It has been an absolute pleasure to watch the children grow at space2play. Children who attend regularly understand the rhythm of the sessions. Knowing the pattern of the day, the rules and boundaries allows them a sense of security and allows freedom. They have developed a sense of place and an ownership and responsibility for the garden. Their independence and self-esteem has grown and they feel more confident. Because of this many now enjoy exploring further away from their parents, hiding in the maze and running through the willow and are more keen to try new things and take risks. Children who have difficulty with their speech or are very quiet are now happy to talk to me and join in our story and singing sessions. I have been so proud to see how these young children are learning to stay safe and be kind to eachother. Cooking on a fire and using tools like hammers and gardening equipment needs responsible behaviour and they are learning this so quickly.
The ebb and flow of the seasons are reflected in our activities whether it be lying in the late summer sun, collecting wild flowers, using autumn leaves for crafts or splashing in muddy puddles. The children learn to play whatever the weather and use what nature has provided.They especially liked picking the blackberries and raspberries when they were in season. Feeling proud and very grown up the children brought them to snack time for everyone to share together. Apples were picked and munched and herbs used to make delicious food in the mud kitchen.
Recently the pumpkins grown in the garden have offered endless fun. We have scooped the seeds out, used as bowls for potions, painted them and developed our tool skills by hammering golf tees into them!
Parents also benefit from our sessions. As well as having a safe beautiful place for their children to play, a wonderful community of support and friendship has grown. I look forward so much to developing space2play in the future and providing more families in our community the wonderful opportunities it provides."
