On Thursday 9th October, LEAH students had the opportunity to take part in a gardening trip to Bushy Park, designed to help them explore the world of volunteering.
Savannah, our ESOL and Activities Coordinator, was waiting for the group at the nearest bus stop, ready to guide everyone to the Learning Centre. Many students felt a little nervous at first, but as soon as they met Fiona, the Volunteer Officer at Bushy Park, they were put at ease and quickly got stuck into their tasks.
The day began with clearing out the garden – removing dead vegetables and preparing the soil for replanting. There were even a few butternut squashes left in the beds, which students were delighted to take home! Some learners also picked fresh flowers to bring home as a small token of the lovely day they had shared together.
After all their hard work, everyone enjoyed a well-deserved tea and sandwich break, giving students time to chat, relax, and bond over the activity they had just completed.
In the afternoon, Fiona set out a new set of challenges: hammering posts into the ground, planting garlic, naming seed packets, and sowing fresh seeds in the newly prepared beds. It was a true team effort, and the learners worked together brilliantly to complete all the tasks by 2pm.
By the end of the day, everyone felt proud of what they had achieved, and many are now eager to return once volunteer vacancies open again.
A huge thank you to Volunteer CL for her support and encouragement throughout the day, and to Fiona and the team at Bushy Park for making our learners feel so welcome.
