Orchard Forest School at Lupton House in Brixham is celebrating five years of growth, learning and community.
The Forest School began its journey back in 2019 and has since grown and developed over the years with the help of our lovely community and a wealth of valuable volunteers.
The community interest company has since blossomed into a team of dedicated and knowledgeable people, providing opportunities for volunteers of all ages to help out in the ancient orchards of Lupton House.
One of Torbay’s wildest secrets, Louise Loram began Orchard Forest School back in 2019, when she dreamed of a forest school that the local community could access.
“Maybe 2019 wasn’t the best year to start a new venture but who knew we were going into a pandemic!” said Louise.
The first year was about preparing the land-developing groups and engaging with the local community and local organisations. During this first year Orchard Forest School began by rolling out two Mini Explorer groups which quickly developed into three due to the need.
Louise said: “We're all about making each session memorable and meaningful rather than overcrowding. We also started our over 50s sessions which enabled adults to come along and be part of our special ancient orchard set within Lupton Estate.”
Then 2020 brought Covid to the Orchard's doors. But being part of Torbay’s ‘Imagine This’ project meant Louise and her small team were able to get through those tricky times and continue supporting the community and particularly vulnerable groups of children and young people safely.
Louise explained: “Of course, we closed our gates right at the beginning, but working within government guidelines and adhering to restrictions we were soon able to offer support to our over 50s and our children’s groups as time went on, albeit through social distancing, wearing face masks, going through copious amounts of hand sanitiser and limiting numbers!
“We were even sanitising our mud kitchen after each family touched it! This seems all so strange when we reflect on this now, but this was so real at the time!
“Some of the most meaningful relationships were developed through these times because feedback from our community showed us that the orchard helped families and individuals get through being away from family and friends and the feeling of isolation and abandonment.
“Sessions were not only important to our over 50s volunteers but also to all the new mums out there who felt very much on their own.
“Our orchards belong to everyone, we are merely the guardians in our time, the calmness and tranquillity offer everyone the sense of belonging and calmness as soon as they walk through our gates.”
Throughout 2021, Orchard Forest School was able to continue supporting the community by developing new groups and sessions and continue to offer sessions to some of the most vulnerable children and family groups in Torbay, such as Torbay Young Carers, Children and Families in Grief, as well as many more.
Louise added: “We also started noticing that as older siblings left us to start their school journey, parents were continuing to bring their younger children, so we now knew that something was working.
“The need was there and families were telling us that being outdoors was what they were needing, wanting and enjoying. There was still a lot of anxiety around the pandemic, and our community was telling us that they felt safer outdoors than inside buildings. We all saw the adverts on TV and posters of how far germs
spread, so being outdoors gave us all a sense of safety.”
This was when the Orchard’s Big Bay Bake project began. With support from other local charities and organisations, the Orchard’s apples were used to help fight food poverty.
Louise said: “The community came into our orchards to help us harvest our apples. They learnt how to use them, to cook with them and make delicious treats.”
This project continues to run successfully on an annual basis during the apple harvest, from September until early November.
It was during 2021, that Orchard Forest School got involved with the government’s KickStart scheme; where local young people could work at the Orchard for several hours each week for six months, all funded by the government.
“This is where we had the pleasure and privilege of meeting Ash and then Ellie in 2022.”
2022 brought the Queen’s Jubilee, so with help from the National Lottery Orchard Forest School was able to develop its other ancient orchard into a Jubilee Sensory Garden.
Louise explained: “This gave another space for our community to get involved with. Early years children planted trees whilst our adult volunteers sowed wildflowers, and created pathways and spaces to sit and just be.
“This continues to be a work-in-progress, with new spaces being created and plants being planted each year. This is managed solely by one of our Directors and our wonderful volunteers.”
She added: “During this year we were also able to offer Ash and Ellie part-time employment away from the KickStart scheme, both girls showed us that if you’re lucky enough to find that special job and people believe in you, you can absolutely thrive and fly high, regardless of your own beliefs.”
During 2023 both Ash and Ellie went back into higher education and started their Forest School leadership qualification, whilst continuing to work in the orchard.
Today, Orchard Forest School continues to run four weekly Mini Explorer groups (parent/grandparent and toddler groups), sessions for home-educated families, weekly sessions for over-50s, monthly childminder sessions, intergenerational sessions, Birthday parties, family sessions throughout school holidays, evening sessions, as well as working with local schools and organisations to provide one-off or blocks of sessions; not bad going.
Louise said: “We continue to enjoy supporting and building relationships with every individual who walks through our gates!
“During all of this, we stick to being a small team with three Directors, four members of part-time staff and a huge team of extremely valuable volunteers who help us day to day and behind the scenes.”
One of the key things Orchard Forest School prides itself on is the many generations that participate.
Louise said: “Age isn’t a boundary, it just enhances everything! The old learn from the young and the young learn from the old, and there are always skills, knowledge and laughter shared between all generations!
“Every day we walk through our gates we all feel blessed for probably having the best working environment possible, through rain, shine and storms. Some days we shiver and other days we feel the warmth on our backs, but each day is special in its own way and each day we arrive and leave with a smile.
“Orchard Forest School wouldn’t be where it is today and celebrating its 5th year without our wonderful community, local organisations, organisations and businesses who have donated and awarded funding to us, family and friends, staff and volunteers so thank you to each and every one of you who have supported us and believed in us along the way! There are too many to mention but you all know who you are, so thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
"We also have a wonderful volunteer Funding Coordinator Veronica, who works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure we have enough funds coming in to support our groups and sessions, without funding we wouldn’t be wherever we are today.
