weydon fun in the sun
Take a look at the fantastic den that our group from Weydon School have built in the secret garden at space2grow.
Built over two visits, the budding structural engineers made a strong frame as a first step, then finished it off with bamboo the following week.
The group have been visiting the garden weekly for the last few months and are enjoying learning new skills outside the classroom as well as taking time in nature. You can read some of their Reflections on visiting the acre below. To find out more about the wellbeing intervention sessions at space2grow click here.
helping to have closer relationships
Our most recent Talking Teens programme finished last week, with participants enthusiastically recommending the course to other parents.
One wrote in feedback, "I would most definitely recommend this programme to all my friends (parents at school) as there's nothing else like this to my knowledge. And what a wonderful way to teach us to have a better and closer relationship with our children."
Thank you to Farnham Town Council for the community grant which has helped support the Talking Teens courses for summer 2023.
More than 200 parents and carers have attended parenting courses at space2grow since the garden was first established as a community space.
The next five-week Talking Teens course runs from Thursday 15 June – Thursday 13 July, from 7.00pm – 9.00pm. The next Nurturing course starts in September.
Please help us spread the word to let local parents know about parenting on the acre. To find out more or to register for a place, please email info@theparentingspace.space.
summer exhibition
Our friends at Creative Response are holding a Summer Exhibition of their members' work, opening on Saturday 3 June. This local Farnham group of artists is responsible for our beautiful and unique bicycle wheel sculptures and dome that brighten up the garden.
in the news
Thanks to the Farnham Herald for sharing the amazing efforts of the 11th Farnham Beavers, who completed a fun run to raise funds for space2grow. Well done to all who took part!
Click here to view the article on our website.
in our garden
The garden is in full bloom, with our volunteers enjoying some long-overdue sunshine.
The team have been busy clearing around the pond, planting out tomatoes and weeding the paths and borders.
Our Farnham Heath End School group have been helping to clear the beds and then planted out the remaining sunflowers.
The garden is teeming with new life, including dragonflies and Sir Cyril Gregg Ramshead the First, a Ram's Horn Water Snail spotted and named by our Heath End friends.
reflections from the acre ...
The reflections this week come from our weekly group from Weydon School and their teacher. Our regular secondary school sessions provide a change from being in the classroom. The garden offers a calm, safe outdoor alternative to small groups who find the school environment overwhelming. The sessions are led by space2grow's wellbeing intervention co-ordinator in partnership with the children's teachers. They are designed around reducing anxiety and helping the children make connections with themselves and others, as well as building confidence.
"space2grow is completely different from school. I like being out in the fresh air and listening to the birds. I feel like on a Wednesday, when I’ve been to space2grow, it sets me up for the day."
"I like coming to space2grow and having fun. It’s really good as it’s good to do jobs and then you can play. We get to re-charge our minds to get ready for our next challenge when we get back to school. When I come I feel excited, happy and energised. The jobs are fun and you get to do something good. When you’re about to go to space2grow you’re really excited and when you get back to school it feels a bit easier. space2grow has inspired me to work outside when I finish school. I really liked cutting the willow that we used to do weaving. The people here are really nice. They’re calm and kind. If you do something wrong they say let’s try again."
"I liked the willow weaving that we did. I feel good when I come to space2grow. I feel relaxed and excited at the same time. space2grow relaxes me and helps me do better at school. I like being able to run around at space2grow and play which I don’t feel that I can do at school as everyone wants to be grown up and not play."
"Our group of children have been visiting for two months now. Spending time at space2grow gives them valuable time out of school and the opportunity to experience something different and learn new skills. They can find being at school all day a lot of pressure and coming to space2grow breaks their week up. The children love coming and really benefit from being able to burn off energy which helps them settle down better in class when they’re back at school. Being sat down all day is challenging for them. Some of them need some space away from school which isn’t somewhere that mentally they find a happy space. This is somewhere they can come and just be them without feeling trapped at school."
If you would like to share what the acre means to you, please email info@space2grow.space - we love hearing everyone's reflections.