Skills

We love to create targeted opportunities for local people to gain new skills and experience and boost their employability through volunteering, education and training!

Our Community Garden

Our Grow Together Be Together Community Garden isn’t just an urban oasis where neighbours can relax, socialise and boost their wellbeing. We also offer opportunities for people to gain new skills, learn about the environment, grow their confidence and improve employability!

Join our gardening sessions!

Now running weekly, every Friday and Saturday from 10am – 1pm!

At the heart of our garden project are our regular weekly gardening sessions. people volunteers of all ages (including accompanied children) join these friendly and informal sessions and we’d love you to come along!

You can choose to simply relax in nature, meet neighbours and socialise safely outdoors. Or if you wish, you can take the opportunity to learn new skills you can put to use in the community and at home! These include:

• Organic food growing techniques and permaculture design, including propagation, plant care, harvesting, organic pest control, companion planting and more
• Wildlife gardening
• Soil science and compost creation
• Plant and animal identification
• Tool maintenance and repairs, plus occasional carpentry
• Occasional craft activities such as willow weaving, pottery and painting.

Locate the community garden here

We’ll provide gloves, gardening tools and additional measures to keep things COVID-secure. Please bring your own drinks and snacks and do not visit if shielding or clinically vulnerable, or if you or a member of your household experiences COVID symptoms.

Other outdoor skills opportunities

During the year, we welcome a diverse cross-section of the community for a other outdoors learning and skills opportunities too! These typically include:

• Local primary schools at our Outdoor Classroom – environmental education sessions linked to the national curriculum are free for Newham schools! Contact food@bonnydowns.org to find out more
• Families at our Saturday gardening sessions with child-friendly activities such as scavenger hunts and wildlife surveys
• Children from our After School Club 
• Volunteering and work experience for the homeless community, in partnership with NEWday
• Work experience for young people, through our partnership with the Newham Youth Offending Team and Newham College

Indoors skills and training

We offer plenty of indoors-based opportunities too! These often include:

• Employment support for Newham residents, including advice with job/training searches, CV writing and and job applications
• Computer, online and employability skills training offered together with our partners at Skills Enterprise and NEWday
• An annual leadership programme for local young people

Please check our current timetable for current opportunities.

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