Changes at the Bridge

The beautiful Willow Arch, is a great addition to compliment the Forest School. The willow arch has been a genuine collaboration of so many in the local community- all made possible in the first place through a generous gift from a local family, celebrating the christening of their child.

After careful thought and planning, The Bridge, approached the Parks department at Greenwich Council who kindly donated the willow rods, talented local metal craftsman Danny Herridge, who constructed the beautiful iron framework, and volunteers from local charitable keep fit group, GoodGym Greenwich, who came to the rescue with the challenging planting that was required! GoodGym provide hands-on project support for not-for-profit groups and during two evening running sessions GoodGym Greenwich volunteers lifted, carried, dug, positioned and planted before continuing on their running route!

 The Bridge was awarded  £7701 from the Big Lottery Fund for creation of a new “green zone” and improvements to the forest school area.  The grant will help to fund Forest School Leadership training fees, gardening and outdoor-play equipment, and installation of gates and benches for the multi-functional outdoor area known as the ‘Green Zone @ The Bridge’. The Green Zone aims to encourage parents and children to work together to develop their understanding of, and skills relating to, the natural environment within the urban setting. It encompasses The Bridge’s existing Gardening Club, which runs weekly sessions for pre-schoolers, the Forest School launched earlier this year, and habitats for wildlife such as bee and bug boxes and a wormery, as well as providing a teaching resource through a series of compost bins, which will be constructed with the help of Age UK Bromley & Greenwich’s ‘Men in Sheds’ group. The compost bins and wormery aim to turn suitable food waste from the centre’s users, such as apple cores and vegetable peelings, into compost and liquid fertiliser to be used by the Gardening Club, helping children to understand and visualise the consequences and benefits of recycling.

For more information about the Bridge, including timetables, visit its website or its Facebook group.