(^48) Cornwall Life: August 2019
‘In this green oasis, the natural instinct is to breathe
in, breathe out... and relax. Jo knows first-hand the
benefits of such an environment for young people’
GARDENS
Find out more
Heart of the Woods were helped by the Real
Ideas Organisation – set up the deliver change
through social enterprise, improving people’s
communities, lives and developing their
individual potential.
They run social enterprises including, in
Plymouth, the Column Bakehouse in the
Royal William Yard and Devonport Guildhall, a
social enterprise community hub. They deliver
strategic programmes focussed on creativity,
culture and social enterprise.
Jo Cooper and the team at Heart of the
Woods got help from RIO from the beginning.
“We didn’t have a clue about starting up a
business and we needed that business support.
We wanted to make sure we were getting
everything sorted in terms of Health and Safety
and that sort of thing,” says Jo. “There are
rules and regulations and health and safety
considerations and all of that, but there’s an
unusual situation in England in that there isn’t a
governing body as such for Forest Schools so it
was good to have that support.”
you can stop what you’re doing
and slow down.
“We set up the Heart of the
Woods Forest School to run
activities. It’s really important
that children get the sense that
they are in the middle of the
woods. There they can see what
a tree is and understand things
about Nature that might not
be so easy to understand in a
classroom.
“It’s really great having
the Forest School. We have a
brilliant home education group,
some of them come all the way
from Falmouth. For them the
woods offer the chance for
socialising, which is something
they don’t always get. And we’ve
started working with Choice,
an organisation in Cornwall for
people with a learning disability.
We can get people in wheelchairs
in here who have never been
to woodlands. Woods can be
scary for some people, but this
experience can help build up
confidence. We have a lovely
campfire and we do campfire
cooking.
“The wood is now thriving. It’s
an area rich in history. I believe
it was once an ancient woodland
- we know we can go back to
1740 when trees were felled and
the area replanted as plantation.
There’s also a mine for copper
here which was very well hidden
until we found it two years ago.
The local estate planted an
orchard here in 1820 when they
established the mine.”
The owners of the wood are
happy for Heart of the Woods to
carry on what they’re doing.
“We’re putting together a
woodland management plan
and we’re looking ahead 30
years all the time,” says Jo. “The
woodland is privately owned and
I’ve been involved in a lot of the
groundwork and there is a sense
of stewardship. We’re teaching
children about sustainability for
their future.
“The parties are great fun for
everyone. We have a massive
camp fire and people just relax.
All they can hear are the sounds
of the woodland. We had one
young boy who just wanted to lie
down and look at the leaves on
the trees.
“The love of the woodland
lives with you forever. Here
we’re nurturing woodlands and
nurturing people.”
For information go to
heartofthewoods.orgExtraordinary finds in the woodsLEFT AND
BELOW: Children
love the freedom
to explore in Cubit
Woods