The Storybee Garden

About the project

Help us to transform the overgrown 6th garden ‘room’ into a natural, sensory storytelling space. This has been made possible with funding through Groundwork’s Our Space Award, supported by Tideway.

Why we are doing it?

This was the final garden ‘room’ that the council permitted us to take over in 2019 which has remained unused.

We have previously run interactive storytelling sessions in the garden so feedback came back that creating a magical, fun, bee themed storytelling space would be a wonderful addition to the walled garden.

What it will include?

After having many conversations with our volunteers and participants, and listening to lots of suggestions, we will create a garden with different habitats for wildlife, meandering pathways, hexagonal planters filled with pollinator friendly annual and perennial plants. We also want to create a focal storytelling area with the space for a tepee and a bee themed peace pole. Other nature themed elements will be added such as bird feeders and story stones.

Get involved!

We have tasks for everyone ranging from help clearing the overgrown vegetation,creating the pathways and building hexagonal planters to be filled with pollinator friendly plants. For those who prefer less physical activity, and for our younger participants including children, we will be organising ‘create togethers’ with nature themed tabletop activities such as making bird feeders, bee watering stations, natural wind chimes and designing story stones to be hidden in the garden.

People can also help by researching for appropriate plants that are linked to folklore, myths and magic which could be planted in the garden to help ignite children’s imagination especially since we will be using this space for interactive storytelling activities.

There will be lots more to and everyone is invited to become involved! We welcome children (with their parents/carers), teenagers and young people aged 16-18 who may require volunteering opportunities as part of their studies, and adults who want to promote their health and wellbeing. We also welcome companies who may like to help a local community group as part of their social responsibility aims. We are continuing to work with our partnering organisations such as Croydon Mencap and Good Gym Croydon and look forward to working with new community groups.

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For more information or you would like to help volunteer with this project, please email Catherine at friendsofparkhillpark@outlook.com.

Storybee Garden funding support by