Lymley Wood

Aim

Helping Lymley Wood grow! Ensure that Lymley Wood can develop and grow into a fully-equipped venue for disadvantaged children & young people

BEING IN NATURE IS GOOD FOR YOU !

Our Vision is to be a space where children, young people and those with additional needs can feel connected to nature, each other and the self.  We use the transformative power of being in and learning from nature  and we insist on the venue being screen-free so that all those who spend time at Lymley Wood have the chance to disconnect and make ‘real’ connections.

This crowdfunding campaign will enable us to continue with renovating the site so that children can come stay with us on school trips and join specialist groups with a forest school ethos and a focus on working with those children who have additional needs and vulnerabilities.

The funds raised will go towards:

• Installing a Yurt as an indoor learning space
• Buying camping equipment and resources
• Supporting the administration of the project
• Providing free and subsided places for children from disadvantaged backgrounds
• Building a bouldering wall
• Installing a big swing and improving the ropes course
• Ensuring the overheads can be covered in Winter (regular donations can really help with this)

If we meet can raise all these funds  and can achieve our ‘stretch’ funding target we have a plan to design a brand new intervention for teenagers that helps support their personal resilience, build confidence and learn techniques for overcoming adversity and life challenges. 

Lymley Wood was set up in 2019 as a ambitious community Interest Company project to create a woodland space where children young people and families can come explore, play, laugh learn and connect with nature. The site had been abandoned for 5 years but the landowner was keen for new life to be breathed into the venue that had been running for many years under the charity name Adventure Unlimited. With the enthusiasm of the  director Mel and support from a few keen volunteers the venue was set to open spring 2020. However, Covid happened, so the projects first year was not exactly as planned!

Despite a global pandemic and minimal start up funds we have had over 200 children have access Lymley Wood this first year and have seen the site come to life as the sounds of children laughter and squeals of delight fill the air. Bugs have been hunted and studied, swings have been swung on, feasts have been served and  fires have been made the traditional ways. The adventure course has had repairs and has been enjoyed by many, including some who got extremely muddy during a holiday club! Children all go home smiling, smelling of campfire smoke and often with very muddy socks and shoes but this is exactly how we like our Lymley Tribe to be!  

The staff and volunteers have been superb, one primary teacher who helped at holiday club said “I wish every day at work could be as fun as this!”, and many children can be heard asking parents and carers when they can come back to the woods. We have a huge amount of passion for this project and know that nature is our partner in helping achieve transformative experiences for our young global citizens.

Thank you so much for your support of the project and we hope to see you in the Woods very soon!

Mel x

This project successfully funded on 25th July 2022