Our ABCD Best Start community builder Melissa, after speaking with local parent Kimona and identifying there was a high interest in having a forest school in Thornton Heath, joined up forces with another Croydon parent, Suzy, a trained forest school teacher, Croydon Council, local connectors and parents as well as community organisations to organise a pilot event in March 2017 in Grangewood Park.

Demand was so high that a second session had to added and a waiting list set up in case anyone dropped out. There were 45 families attending on the day, mainly preschoolers with their parents. Due to the continued interest of local parents in the forest school, some further sessions were arranged during the Easter Holidays in Grangewood Park and also at couple of other locations North of the borough, Beulah Heights and Biggin Wood.

The forest school has generated a real excitement in Thornton Heath with parents talking about starting up a bug club and utilising the local woodland for more outdoor activities!