On July 28th, as part of our summer wellbeing programme, participants enjoyed a special visit to the Dose of Nature outdoor space at Pensford Field in Kew, where learners, volunteers and children came together to experience the restorative power of nature.
Our group included nine learners, three volunteers and eight children. From the moment we arrived, we were made to feel incredibly welcome by Alison, CEO of Dose of Nature, Katie, Operations Manager, and the rest of the team.
Alison led an engaging session centred around the five senses, encouraging everyone to slow down, connect with the natural world and enjoy the simple pleasure of spending time outdoors. One of the highlights was discovering the art of “treelaxing” – lying beneath the trees and gazing up through the canopy – a wonderfully calming experience that many of us will be trying again at home.
Throughout the session, we were treated to refreshments in a peaceful woodland glade, and were able to fully explore the site, with its woodland paths, pond, beehives and quiet spaces to sit and reflect. It was a magical setting that provided the perfect environment for relaxation, conversation and connection.
The visit clearly made an impression on our participants. One learner, Farrokh, shared:
“Thanks for the invite to the garden. It made me very happy, and I felt honoured to be there. I hope we will have the opportunity to meet again. I found the experience very enjoyable, especially the warm and welcoming hospitality of the hosts in the garden. It was truly lovely.”
One of our volunteers fed back:
“I thought the morning with Dose of Nature was fabulous. And discovering the lovely secret wildlife space of Pensford Field was a wonderful surprise. I would think that the students got a lot of enjoyment from the morning experience and talking about the benefits of nature. As did I!”
Experiences like this are a reminder of the importance of wellbeing alongside language learning. Spending time together outdoors gave our learners the opportunity to build confidence, make new connections and enjoy a sense of belonging in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
We are very grateful to everyone at Dose of Nature for their generous hospitality and for creating such a memorable experience for our learners, volunteers and families. We look forward to visiting again.
Thank you also to our funders. 
We are now half way through our summer wellbeing programme. It’s not too late to join us! If you would like to come along, you can find out more and sign up here