living Earth Project.
Land based alternative education.
This exciting new outdoor project in partnership with Hands of Hope Charity will give children the opportunity to work directly with the land.
Students will gain practical skills and knowledge whilst gaining a deep understanding of what it means to live in connection with the natural world around them.
We will be discovering our historical and geographical relationship to the land around us through growing and harvesting food, cooking, foraging, preserving, exploring herbal medicines, and traditional hand-crafting. We’ll uncover stories and folklore that have linked people to the Sussex & Kent landscape for hundreds of years. The children will be given a chance to develop a direct hands-on relationship with the land.
Working in a small community of children, teachers and mentors, students will work seasonally, at nature's pace. We will take teachings from the past and bring them into the present, Learning and moving forward in a sustainable, meaningful and practical way.
As we spend time experiencing how nothing stands alone, we will witness the continuous rising and falling of life, death and rebirth. Ultimately remembering we ourselves are part of nature.
As well as being educational, the Living Earth project will be playful and fun. In keeping with Project Rewild’s ‘Free to Learn’ ethos, our work is child centred and allows lots of freedom in children’s individual learning journeys.
Children will work as part of a community, supporting and helping one another to create the best outcomes. By creating a healthy and supportive learning environment, we will encourage new friendships and improve confidence, self-esteem, and physical and mental health.
For school children, we will help students to see and feel the joy of learning. We support them in their individual needs to improve their learning experiences and outcomes whilst here and in school.
STARTING SEPTEMBER 20TH.
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BOOK NOW
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STARTING SEPTEMBER 20TH. 〰️ BOOK NOW 〰️
What will we do?
Details:
What is it? A Drop-off outdoor education programme for children (parents do not stay).
Who is it for? Available for Home-educated and school children (alternative provision) aged 8-16 years.
When is it? Every Wednesday (term time), from 10am to 3pm.
Group size? The group will be a maximum of 12 children.
Where is it? Hope Farm, Hawkhurst, Kent
Who is teaching? This group will be led by Polly Palmer and Luke Funnell. Polly is an experienced permaculture growing instructor, qualified mindfulness teacher, and forest school leader. She has also trained in ethnobotany and been leading hand crafts, and mindfulness in nature groups for many years. Polly has a passion for foraging, preserving and nature-based crafts. Luke has been leading transformative outdoor programmes for children and adults for nearly 20 years. He is an advanced bushcraft and survival instructor, nature connection and nature philosophy facilitator and skilled storyteller. Luke has also trained in and led foraging and ethnobotany groups for many years. We will also be working with staff at Hands of Hope who are experts in food growing, farming and the history of the land.