April

What a great month!

- Thanks so much to everyone who attended our Easter holiday sessions. We welcomed a wonderful group of children in the woods at Gifford, and lots of lovely families at Archerfield and Newhailes. 

- Last week we enjoyed our first Forest Babies session, welcoming mums and their babies outside at Newhailes. There was singing, and swinging, and sensory play in the sunshine. Thanks so much to everyone who came along and participated so enthusiastically. 

- We were back in Gifford for our first school sessions since Easter. Our focus group chose to go for a walk, so we played pooh sticks, had a ladybird race, and collected objects that we identified with along the way. A gentle stroll outdoors is a great way to slow down and open up space for reflections.

- We were also back at Newhailes for an adult Forest Therapy session, which Changes asked us to run as a thank you for their volunteers. Participants enjoyed flatbreads cooked over the fire with nettle butter, created beautiful hapa zome pictures, and took part in different mindfulness activities. 

 

 

March

- Holly and Chloe are currently training to become Outdoor and Adventure Therapists with The Therapy Adventure. This qualification will allow us to provide ethical and safe therapeutic interventions within the woodland environment.

Holly recently returned from an inspiring weekend away reflecting on how the outdoors provides the perfect setting for person-centered, values-based work. During her immersive weekend, she explored her own bravery while rock climbing, practiced resilience through spoon whittling, and recognized her personal limits during cold water swimming. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with many other enthusiastic and inspiring outdoor practitioners.

We are really looking forward to bringing these new skills and perspectives to our work at GetOut.

- We enjoyed a great afternoon at Queen Margaret University as part of a 2nd year Professional Challenge. Groups made up of Education, Sociology and Psychology students were given a professional challenge by partners such as ourselves, Learning Through Landscapes, and NatWest. The students worked as a team to overcome the challenges set, presented their solutions in such a clear, confident manner, and genuinley helped us with their ideas.