Accuro Outdoors — A wonderful new project for our members!
We are excited to announce the launch of a new project for our members, this summer, Accuro Outdoors…
Accuro Outdoors sessions are small group meet ups on a Friday, open to Accuro’s adult members, to encourage getting outdoors to enjoy the countryside — whatever the British weather decides to do! The small group set up allows us flexibility when planning activities and to tailor individual sessions to our members’ interests.
The project has been kindly funded by The Nineveh Charitable Trust.
In Week 1, members explored High Beech in Epping Forest and took part in a sensory walk with The Sunflower Group which included bark rubbing and a stroll around the forest.
In Week 2, members created an allotment in the grounds of Accuro’s head office, Tocher House. They used twelve bags of compost and planted a wide range of vegetables and flowers, using the ‘no dig’ method, and this will now be maintained and cared for by the members.
In Week 3, members added to the patch with beetroot, chard, radishes and peashoots. The project is focused on practising the process of ‘seed to plate’, enabling members to cook the vegetables when ready and prepare a meal from scratch.
In Week 4, the group took a trip to Cammas Hall Farm in Hatfield Broad Oak to do some strawberry picking, a fun activity which added to their knowledge about how fruit is grown on a large scale. One member expressed an interest in strawberry planting which is why this trip was chosen.
In the next few weeks there is a lot planned, including a trip to Hylands Park in Chelmsford, learning about plant propagation, biodiversity and understanding the impact of our food’s carbon footprint. The group will learn about the benefits of homegrown food and reducing our food waste.
Adult Projects Manager, Luisa, has said..
“To quote Audrey Hepburn, ‘To grow a garden is to believe in tomorrow’. My personal passion for growing my own food started in lockdown and I understand how vital it is for our mental health to get outdoors. Thanks to the Nineveh Trust, the aim of Accuro Outdoors is to enable and encourage our members to get outside in the countryside. From getting a dose of Vitamin D, to learning more about the wonders of nature, we hope the project will inspire our members, spark an interest, encourage creativity and curiosity about the world, and most importantly, have a positive impact on their wellbeing.”
We look forward to sharing more of what we get up to in our Accuro Outdoors sessions on our social media. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
