This year has been another busy one, with some much-needed infrastructure projects to make the garden more accessible and improve our working environment.
The large elms along the boundary have made growing decent crops almost impossible in one part of the garden, so we planted a mini orchard, thanks to the support from Stephan from Brighton Permaculture Trust – and a wildflower area which will give an even warmer welcome as you come through the gates.
In summer, thanks to funding from the National Lottery, we were able to commission our talented builder Ian Barnett to create a new cooking space, which has the added bonus that Master Chef Jo and her minions don’t get soaked when it rains. We even had superstar Daley Thompson open it for us. Cooking a hot meal for everyone at lunch time with the food they have grown is a really important part of being a community garden, where everyone can eat together and socialise. One of our students told us, “I really enjoy cooking at the garden, because I like how the garden creates a relaxed atmosphere where cooking feels more like a shared experience than a task.”
For our next project, we needed a new greenhouse to extend the growing season and provide somewhere dry for people to work in winter, so thanks to funding from the Clothmakers Foundation, and a nice discount from The Greenhouse People, Ian has now put in a base for our new greenhouse, due to be completed early this year.
We welcomed a new member of staff, Mia to work alongside Pat delivering an outdoor education. Being an AQA Centre means we can support pupils in working towards formally recognised records of achievement. Pupils who often don’t flourish in a school environment do well at the garden because we can tailor our work to their individual needs. One of them told us “I like it because it’s calm, it helps me forget some things that are going on. If I didn’t come here I probably would have been excluded from school. There are nice views. I do lots of things here that make me feel good. I enjoy pond dipping and looking at the newts. I like doing the work in the garden, and I also help sometimes with the cooking. The people are all nice and the food is amazing.“
Thanks to funding from The Pebble Trust we ran our annual Easter and Summer schemes for Moulsecoomb Primary children, where 64% receive free school meals. Year 1 visited the garden to plant and harvest garlic. Warren and Daisy run weekly outdoor learning sessions culminating in the annual Harvest Festival – a celebration of the children’s work, cooking the vegetables they have grown, turning the school’s apples into juice and giving it all out for free at the end of the school day, thanks to funding from Brighton and Hove Food Partnership. The Head wrote “It was such a wonderful event and the learning experiences linked to science, geography, and global citizenship were really meaningful. Thank you so much for coordinating and accessing funding to make this happen for our children. Just wow!” With the last planned session before Christmas cancelled because of the weather, we gave Year 4 a quiz to test their knowledge – everything from metamorphosis, amphibians, garden tools, continents and compost! These pupils will be the schools outdoor ambassadors of the future.
We welcomed over 200 people to our annual Open Day in July, and raised over £600, with our amazing café, tombola, pizza cooking, pond dipping and a whole range of nature-based and garden activities. The senior leadership team at Brighton Aldridge Community Academy visited on the day, and Head of the School Jack Davies, messaged “A huge thank you for inviting us. Both myself and Grace left completely overwhelmed! It was great to see some of our most challenging students so engaged and very calm. The facilities you have created are so well suited to the students.”
It’s not just work-days when people use the garden. The council’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services visit regularly: “Our visits have been incredibly beneficial for the families and children with learning disabilities that we support. It offers a peaceful and beautiful setting that changes with each season, giving families the chance to connect with nature and each other in a calm, nurturing atmosphere. The thoughtful layout, including the kitchen area, different outdoor spaces, and the well-equipped cabin, allows us to adapt our activities whatever the weather. It has truly become a special place for our families to grow, relax, and build confidence together.”
Other highlights included erecting a new sign at Moulsecoomb train station to celebrate the bee and butterfly bank we planted and maintain, and working with the Bates Estate residents group to compost leaves and clear rubbish. We held our annual AGM/disco/karaoke in October at the Bevy Pub, had a fun night with the Santa Bus (thanks to Brighton & Hove Buses) collecting around the streets of Moulsecoomb then finally our fantastic Christmas lunch, which we served up with all the trimmings to nearly 50 volunteers, funders, donors, supporters and staff.
After an event with the Sunflower Group for families with children with additional needs, one participant said “While the world burns – you create a magical oasis. I feel like I’ve had a dose of peace.”
Moulsecoomb Forest Garden continues to be a space where people who are so often ignored and disregarded feel happy and part of something, and we plan to support even more people this year.
* A massive thank you to our funders and our Friends of the Forest Garden whose monthly donations make a massive difference to our organisation. We plan and manage our finances carefully, but it’s always a struggle. We need around £8,500 a month to keep the garden running well. Regular small (or large!) donations really help us to stay afloat, so if you want to support our work you can sign up here www.moulsecoombforestgarden.org/donate
Follow us on Instagram @moulsecoomb_forest_garden and our Moulsecoomb Forest Garden Cooks page on Facebook.
