We knew many London families were desperate for a break by the end of the first Lockdown and many had no prospect of a holiday, so with the encouragement of our partners Outdoor People, we decided to push ahead with two much hoped for Outdoor Family Camping trips. The first was in the heat of the summer; the second in the October half-term, where the weather was much more autumnal.
Both were glorious, magical - and a huge learning experience for all.
In the summer we pitched the tents in blazing sunshine (2020 has been recorded as one of the hottest years on record in the UK). The week meant that we could rejig the procedures to take into account Covid restrictions - and also begin to help the families develop some new practices around healthy eating and understand a tiny bit about sustainable farming practices.
A foraging walk was very popular, led by Claire, one of thevolunteers, as was making jam from the fruit that was found. Despite eating some there and then, every family went away with their own pot of truly natural Green Farm jam!