Book a workshop for yourself, a small group or a big group…
Workshops can include:
01 Nature Art
Don't be put off by the word 'art'. It's nothing fancy. We use some time in our sessions to gather fallen materials, or (only if there is an abundance) we might pick some petals, flowers or leaves for making temporary decorations, drawings or miniature sculptures to leave to the woodlands and others who visit or live there. For those interested in drawing, we do offer traditional sketching workshops too.
02 Grounding
Connecting our skin to the earth. This might be through grounding and getting our bare feet in the mud, or through getting our hands muddy. There's a biofeedback loop between humans and soil that increases serotonin (see about us for more info). Our relationship with Earth is reciprocal.
03 Plant & Tree Identification
This is more than being able to give the name of a plant or tree. We might only learn one or two names, but we want to get to know plants in depth. In some Indigenous cultures, plants are called 'the ones who look after us'. We'll get to know them as living beings with relationships beyond human usage.
04 Sit Spots & Reflection
Sit Spots are an opportunity to come away from the group experience and enjoy some peace and quiet to yourself. They are often used in Forest Schools. Some people like to use this time to meditate, others just like the break from social interaction. There's no pressure for sit spots to be anything other than a bit of 'you time', whatever that looks like.
05 Walking, Talking & Building Community
Our sessions include walking as a form of gentle exercise. As a group activity there is an opportunity to connect and socialise with others. We might share thoughts and reflections together throughout the day. If you prefer smaller groups or individual sessions, we can facilitate that too.
06 Tree Time
This might simply mean standing in the close presence of a tree, touching a tree, hugging one or climbing one. You might sit near by and simply listen out for the sounds surrounding you. You'll be encouraged to use all of your senses and perceptions.
07 Games & Play
Turn off being an adult for a minute and enjoy playing, exploring and seeing the world with the curiosity and wonder that children do. We suggest that adults shouldn't have to grow out of everything and so we bring some of our Forest School games out for groups of grown ups.
08 Gratitude
We will always offer our thanks and gratitude to the woodland. We might spend time considering all the ways that plants and trees have contributed to our own lives. We'll cultivate a deep sense of wonder and reverance for our local flora. We can recognise that we live amongst an exploitative, extractive system but still give thanks to the earth itself.
Where we work
We usually work out of Aversley Wood, Archers Wood or Monks Wood in Huntingdonshire, but if you'd like us to run activities at a different woodland in Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire or Peterborough, get in touch. We decide which woodland to use based on the needs of our particular group or activity and based on the ecological impact of our visit.
Aversley Wood in particular is a Site of Special Scientific Interest - as an ancient woodland it contains species and biodiversity that need to be protected. For this reason, we are careful about the size of group we take and how often we go. Our programme is designed to develop our sense of reverance and relationship with the land, not to cause damage.
