Autumn Equinox Community Celebration

Course dates September 23rd 2023, 10-2pm Spring Rise Community Gardens, Emerson College, Forest Row, East Sussex, RH18 5JX

Price Options

Adults £20, children free

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About the course

On this day we will gather together at the Autumn Equinox to celebrate the land and the bounty of the years harvest.
Wandering together we will learn about tree and plant lore as we gather wild berries and nuts, celebrating the gifts they provide through song and story. Bringing together home grown vegetables from the Spring Rise garden with the wild food we have foraged, we will cook stew on the fire as we craft.

There will be time for joy and dancing and simple ceremony to honour this special time of year and the generosity of the land.

This day offers the opportunity to remember your natural state of being in relationship with nature and to celebrate the gifts of autumn.  We will use established nature connection practices to awaken your senses and restore wellbeing, and offer some skills that you can take with you to practice in your daily life.

Who is this course suitable for?

  • This course is suitable for adults and accompanied children, both beginners level and those with more experience in nature connection.

The course will cover

  • Seasonal celebration and traditions of our land
  • Foraging and plant lore
  • Nature based well being practices
  • Nature inspired song and story, craft and food for all the family 
  • Create an opportunity to engage in simple ceremony together
  • Connecting more with local community

About the tutors

Anna Richardson: Anna has been a nature mentor and trained forest school leader for over 20 years, working with children of all ages and mentoring adults in plant lore, foraging, nature connection and bushcraft. The 8 Shields deeply informs Anna’s work and approach.  She is passionate about connecting to nature through creativity and reverence for life and is also a forest school trainer through Circle of Life Rediscovery and has co-authored two books : Learning with Nature and The Children’s Forest and am the founder of the Children’s Forest.

Erica Shorter: Erica has been learning and playing in nature as a Forest School Leader and Nature Connection Mentor for over 10 years. She is happiest wandering barefoot in the forest and brings a flavour of deep nature connection into her work with children and adults. She is informed and inspired by the 8 Shields and is passionate about creating spaces for people to deeply connected with nature and their inner landscapes.

Testimonials

Slide 1

“I love everything about Children’s Forest's courses. These immersive nature days are filled with so much enchantment and joy that leave me feeling deeply connected to the more than human world and to my true self as an inseparable part of nature. I particularly adore singing tree songs together, which feels like a beautiful way of reciprocating the many gifts the trees offer us. I've shared with my children and they are now Children's Forests biggest fans!"

Rachel P
Slide 2

"A really wonderful day connecting with trees and learning more about our own indigenous traditions too. I'd highly recommend these workshop for anyone looking for a couple of hours escape - I arrived exhausted and left energised and rejuvenated!"

Lucy R
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"I've attended numerous Children’s Forest short courses and each time I leave brimming with inspiration and new knowledge that I can't wait to share with my family and the groups I teach. I've learned so much from the wealth of wisdom they share on tree lore, responsible foraging and some truly connective nature crafts, games and songs that will really enrich my educational groups!"

Sally B
Slide 1

“Thank you so much Children’s Forest, the days you bring feel very special, like a forest school for adults. Beautiful beloved songs sung from the heart, weaving and connecting hearts together, hands on experience with nature from source to creation, gathering in circle and being truly human and releasing all the bliss you have inside can be shared.”

Jo P
Slide 1

"I loved learning how to process and eat the nourishing acorns on the acorn workshop. The Children's Forest course was fun and left me with skills that I will be using for the rest of my life!"

Millie D
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Upcoming courses

October 30 - December 4 2023, 4-5.30pm

Forest From Seed 'Greet the Trees' Autumn term offering (for community)

Adults £48, children free (for 6 week block) or £8.50 drop-in per family

During this 6-week block we will meet a new native tree each week, close to the tree nursery. We will learn the song of the tree together and gather in gratitude for the fruits and seeds. We will process the tree seeds to prepare them for germination after their winter sleep and enjoy together a story and tea around the fire.

Find out more

December 17th 2023, 10-2pm

Winter Community Celebration

Adults £50, children free (see booking link in details below)

Come & celebrate the trees together with us this Winter Solstice at Spring Rise. Fun & crafts for all the family. There will be singing & storytelling around a hearty fire, and tree based crafts galore. Make Christmas tree decorations, wreaths, healing tree salves for gifts and more. Learn how to plant holly seeds which will one day be planted out in the Children's Forests. You will also receive a gorgeous Hawthorn book and Winter Solstice print by Lucinda Warner on the day.

Find out more

May 23-26th 2024

Three day Facilitator Training Course

Standard rate: £475, supporters rate: £550 (contact us for supported rate)

The Children’s Forest Facilitator course is an immersive 3-day camp that aims to provide participants with a deep nature immersion experience in a beautiful Sussex woodland while experiencing the four step journey of the Children’s Forest. Our aim is to create a heart centred learning experience that will inspire you to create your own tree planting projects through nature connection practice, practical knowledge and indigenous wisdom.

Find out more