Projects & Events

Since our inception, Garden Guardians has been very involved with the community. We have hosted talks and workshops and attended many different events, meaning we have spent a lot of time speaking with people about their worries about environmental issues.

Many people expressed concerns about the younger generations not having the same connection with the natural world that perhaps older generations had. With many contributary factors, not least of all tangibly less nature and wildlife to interact with, we saw a real need to help children forge a connection with the natural world. 

Another key area that was very prominent was the inequity in who could access green spaces. It was important to us that we made anything we did accessible and inclusive. As such, all our events have been free.

We are very grateful to have been awarded a grant from the wonderful Chalk Cliff Trust, which has enabled us to move to the next phase of the project.

We are very fortunate to be partnering with The Sussex Archeological Society (Sussex Past) in delivering this project and will be using one of their beautiful sites - Michelham Priory in Hailsham, East Sussex - as our main base. 

The Growing Wild For Nature events will feature immersive learning with each of the activities designed to educate, empower and inspire. We will have arts and crafts, quizzes and games, song and storytelling and mindfulness elements - all helping to connect the participants with the beauty and wonder of the natural world. 

The term time events will be open for schools to apply for once the trial events have taken place. They are offered completely free, with the entrance fee to Michelham Priory covered as part of the project. There may even be funding for assistance with transport costs to and from the site - this will be awarded on a case by case basis. 

Each session will run for around 3 hours, covering a wide range of topics, with each activity being interactive and engaging. Each class will leave with a 'nature kit' containing a mini-vegetable garden, wildflower seeds and certificate of attendance, enabling the children to put practical use to their learning. The class will agree to host an assembly for the rest of the school to share what they have learnt, and from this, a 'nature pledge' will be put together, detailing steps the school can take to help nature on their grounds and the local area.

To mark their participation in the project and  by way of a thank you for being involved, each school will be awarded one or more trees with a commemorative plaque, to be planted on school grounds. These are being kindly donated by the Woodland Trust and will be delivered later in the year. An event will be held at Michelham Priory for collection of the trees. This will be a wonderful way of celebrating the community working together to help protect and preserve the natural world.

The school holiday events will be less structured and will be open for everyone to attend.

Dates for all the events will be released very soon - sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date with the news.