Normal weekly MEP lessons take a break during the summer, so we organise a series of social events and outings to keep in touch with our students and their families over the school holidays. In recent years we have held an annual picnic, as well as trips to the MEP community garden and to other outdoor locations such as Stanmer Park and Waterhall. For some of our events we have collaborated with other community organisations including:
 | Hearts and Flowers: heartsandflowersbrighton.org |
 | Music for Connection: musicforconnection.co.uk |
 | Plot 22: plot22.org |
We have built up a valuable connection with these organisations, which has enabled us to offer an expanding range of exciting and varied outings for our students. During summer 2024 we worked with these groups on several events.
Hearts & Flowers
at Stanmer Park
Social Outing, July 2024
Thank you very much to Hearts and Flowers, who made us so welcome on our trip to their beautiful site in Stanmer Park. A small group of MEP students and volunteers travelled together by bus to Stanmer Park, then walked to the Hearts and Flowers site. We joined a group of other students who are regular visitors to the site every Tuesday, with students from Japan, Iran and the Caribbean. The session was led by Hearts and Flowers team members Rona, Herbie and Sonia.
It was an extremely hot day, and we enjoyed being in the peaceful green space, beginning with some quiet meditation. It felt like being in a secret hidden garden. We talked about our favourite flowers (different people said roses, sweet peas and tulips), and learned about how they manage the site. We all planted some seeds, and some people tried their hand at cutting back the grass in the meadow. We used special small magnifying glasses to take a close look at flowers, grasses and insects.
We all enjoyed a delicious lunch, sitting on hay bales in the covered area which was decorated with colourful hangings, and which had hops growing up one side. Due to the very warm temperatures, we also enjoyed relaxing in the shade, surrounded by nature.
When it was time to leave, we were all invited to choose some cut flowers to take home with us. It was a wonderful day and we hope to work with Hearts and Flowers again in the future.
Thanks to the team at Hearts and Flowers who made us so welcome, and to all the students and volunteers who came along.
Music for Connection
Interactive Nature Walk
In August we once again worked with Music for Connection to take a group of students on an Interactive Listening Walk, following a similar trip last year to Stanmer Park.
This year we went to Waterhall nature reserve, on the edge of Brighton. The site was previously a golf course. When it closed Brighton and Hove City Council launched the Wilding Waterhall project and is working to restore rare chalk grassland and improve habitats for local wildlife. Insects, birds, and bats will all benefit.
Bela and Bethan led the group on a walk around the site, with a focus on observing and listening to nature. Afterwards we enjoyed refreshments at the Clubhouse.
Volunteer Sue Bowes said: “We all had a great afternoon relaxing in the tranquil surroundings of the South Downs and learned a lot from Bela and Bethan.”
A Visit to the Community
Allotment at Plot 22
In early September we took a group of students to the beautiful allotment in Hove operated by Plot 22, an inspiring project which hosts communal gardening and outdoor cooking activities, sharing outdoor skills and running workshops for community groups.
Our students explored the site under the guidance of Dee and her colleagues.
The children were encouraged to pick flowers and to forage for herbs.
The most exciting part of the day was when we made flatbreads, rolling out the dough, adding tasty ingredients and then cooking them on the firepit.
They tasted delicious!
Later the children looked at insects and bugs, learning how to identify them using illustrated worksheets.
The children enjoyed making some beautiful artwork incorporating flowers which they had picked themselves.
Thank you very much to everyone at Plot 22. It was a very inspiring day and we hope that we can arrange visits to their beautiful site again in the future.