Gardening Group

Help needed running gardening club, terms 2 & 3

I am heading around Australia with my family for 6 months. To enable lunch time garden club to continue, garden club parents Mel and Kellie would like more helpers.

During the two and a half years I have been teaching children in the Woodend Primary School Children’s Garden, I have experienced many heartening and fulfilling moments: children’s jaws dropping when they discover that carrots are actually roots; the awe they express when the corn seeds they scratched from a dried out old cob, grow into 2m high plants; the squeals of excitement when they discover the first raspberry, strawberry or tomato of the season; their reluctance to try a new vegie, then to see them come back for more.

Programs such as this are invaluable. The benefits to parents and children from time spent in the garden are numerous:

instils the importance of taking care of other creatures and the environment
teaches acceptance of and learning from failures
facilitates discovery and a sense wonder
inspires creativity
develops our senses (touch, smell, taste, sound and sight)
provides opportunities to practice patience
increases our ability to plan and organize
enhances our fine motor skills
enables teamwork
demonstrates sustainability
fosters healthy eating
introduces the world of science
provides numerous physical and mental health benefits

If you are able to help Mel and Kellie keep this fabulous program running over terms 2 and 3, please contact me or the School office.

WPS Gardening Group

Weekly Gardening Sessions:

Where: Woodend Community Children’s Garden (Buckland St)

When: 12.45-2.00pm Mondays - parent help required to run lunchtime Kid’s Garden Club

2.00-3.30pm Mondays - parent’s gardening group and Senior Unit Environmental Leaders

BYO: Bring your enthusiasm and desire to help (No gardening knowhow required). Working With Children Check required. Please wear sturdy shoes and weather appropriate clothing. Pre-school age children are welcome too

Contact: Nicole Middleton 0418 233 366 (volunteer parent)

Where: Carlsruhe Kitchen Garden (Nicholson St, Carlsruhe)

When: 1.45-3.30pm Thursdays - parent help required to run Thursday gardening activity

BYO: Please wear sturdy shoes and weather appropriate clothing. Working With Children Check required.

Contact: Ann Ireland (Carlsruhe Unit Coordinator)

If you can’t make it to any of these sessions, you can help out the gardens at anytime. Simply contact Ann or myself for an update on what needs to be done.

Gardening Group Facilitator

Nicole Middleton - 0418 233 366