Wild with Wheels Founder Gini Mitchell writes -

The February morning drizzle cleared, changing into rays of sunshine piercing the grey sky. 

Perfect light enhanced our theme - Trees and Leaves.   

Bark, twigs, lichens, leaves, pine needles, pinecones, acorns, conkers and chestnuts covered our nature table at Fort Burgoyne.

We always sympathetically source our nature items locally within the Kent Downs Area of Natural Beauty.  

The participants took their time to feel and examine the wide variety of textures, shapes, and patterns. 

It was lovely to see the connection and creativity as these natural objects showed their details on the paper. We also offered clay to impress and explored the emerging composition and patterns.

The third image here shows something little darker - the unmistakable sign of the beetle that has killed so many of our elm trees with Dutch Elm Disease. This impression is of the underside of a bark from fragment from one of the dead elms at Fort Burgoyne.

We don't shy away from any elements of nature.

Some took a closer look with magnifying glasses. Others browsed through the books on display to learn more about the trees with which they'd formed closer connections.

The atmosphere was restful and calm, with a sense of peacefulness as participants immersed themselves in their creations.

Afterwards we were inspired to take a walk around the ramparts and to study the trees this historic site boasts.

We share gratitude for the privilege to use this space for Wild with Wheels as these sessions bring a sense of inclusion and no boundaries around access.  

Inclusion Matters as we share a common interest in nature which brings a cocktail of physical, emotional and mental health differences, ages and life experiences together. 

All are welcome - regardless of life's challenges. Why not join us and find out for yourself? 

Our next session at Fort Burgoyne is on Thursday 9 March - all the info you need is here.

Thanks as ever to our friends and supporters the White Cliffs Countryside Partnership and the Land Trust.

Wild with Wheels funding is provided through the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme from Defra and the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, who are supporting access to nature in Kent.

🌳🌲🍁🍃🍂Bringing the outdoors inside!

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