Community work is truly inspiring!
September 7, 2021
We’ve had an action-packed summer of outreach work, connecting dozens of families with the wonders of the National Park. Siân Jones, Families Outreach Officer, gives an update.
It’s been wonderful to be working with families and community groups in person again. This summer has seen two groups progress with their Family John Muir Awards and a range of other groups experience taster days across the National Park.
Forward Facing, a Brighton-based charity, discovered the new wheelchair accessible path in Stanmer Park and spent time exploring the One Garden. All the families said that having experienced how accessible it was they would be returning to explore more on their own.
A small group of children doing a summer art project with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services collected natural materials to make a mandala and heard folktales on the transformation in Stanmer Park.
The Rural Refugee Network gathered around the pizza oven in Queen Elizabeth Country Park, sharing recipes and exploring the area.
The Rackham Ramblers, a home education group, achieved their Discover Family John Muir Award spent time discovering, exploring, caring for and sharing about Lychpole Hill.
Enable Ability, a Portsmouth-based group that works with children and adults with disabilities, has continued its work to create a garden at a care home as part of its award activity.
The Lithuanian Families of the South Coast have had some activities provided by Heathlands Reunited and South Downs Youth Action and SDYA during their camping gatherings on Stedham Common.
A couple of sessions were cancelled due to inclement weather and Covid; a visit to Seven Sisters with a group of Young Carers, and a walk up Butser Hill with Enable Ability. However, the good news is that both of these sessions are rescheduled for the autumn.
This project is engaging a really diverse range of family audiences, many of whom have not engaged with the National Park before.
The sessions have had such a positive impact on the families involved.
