A wonderful organisation and leading centre, https://www.chf.org.uk/ that provides education and care for children and young people with neurodisabilities. Most of the young people they help have severe cerebral palsy, and/or visual or other sensory impairments, and all use wheelchairs. A special school for 2-19 year olds is run on site, and whilst some young people are resident, others attend on a daily basis. In addition Chailey Heritage Pathways is a community-based service where the staff visit children and young adults in their own homes or in the wider community. Started in 1903 at Chailey, by Dame Grace Kimmins, a second seaside residence was established in 1924 at Tide Mills, for the boys to take advantage of the sea air. The remains of the nurses’ home are referred to in my first post.
I am lucky to work for Chailey Heritage as their lead garden volunteer, helping to design their gardens and working in them too. We are always looking for new volunteers https://www.chf.org.uk/volunteer-garderner.html, to help out with the usual garden jobs – pruning, weeding, planting, cutting back, tying in etc .etc. Corporate volunteering is also an option for any businesses that see it as a great way to build teamwork!
The Futures Garden: this is for young adults aged 18 – 25. It is designed to incorporate a specially adapted skittles alley and swing, raised beds for the residents to work at, and a shaded seating area. Planting is designed to resonate with all the senses and to provide interest through the seasons. Whilst structure and form hold the garden through the winter, most of the plants are herbaceous so that it will be a dynamic space. In the late autumn, we will underplant with bulbs to give early colour. Small sections within the ornamental borders are for the residents’ own plants to be grown.
The Garden of Celebration: this is a new garden, opened in 2021, which I helped design, also sourcing sculpture pieces and overseeing its construction. Together with the team of volunteer gardens planting was completed in May, save the bare root hedging which will be done once Covid allows us back on site. The design offers different spaces for wheelchairs and accompanied seating, and a private space for contemplation, surrounded by textural, colourful planting, picked to provide interest through the year.
Dan’s Garden: this is a small garden next to the riding arena – children are able, thanks to Riding for the Disabled, to ride ponies and enjoy a sense of movement so different from their own wheelchairs, which helps their confidence and balance and brings great joy. Dan’s garden is in memory of Dan, one of the former residents, and is simply a scented space to relax and take a moment – it is used by staff as well as residents and their parents. My job is to maintain it, and maybe add a plant or two.
Courtyard Garden: I call it this – it is a courtyard surrounded by four buildings for the young people. It currently has some raised beds, an arch to travel through , some games and some seasonal planted pots.