The Green Light Trust, which works to bring people and nature together, held a taster day with Access Community Trust in Lowestoft.
Sixteen clients and staff visited the Access allotment off Normanston Drive on Thursday, May 18, where they took part in a range of forest school activities, including whittling spoons and butter knives, chopping wood, fire lighting and cooking bacon and sausages over an open fire.
A diverse age group took part, from 18 up to 60, most of which had no prior wood working skills and all with some degree of social isolation and anxiety. Dave Eagle, business support officer at Access Community Trust, said: 'We learned how to make a fire by making a spark ignite some cotton wool amidst a bundle of kindling. Soon the kettle was whistling and we were refreshed with tea and coffee.
'Despite initial trepidation, everyone present was whittling madly away within the first ten minutes, captivated by the therapeutic effect of working soft, green ash wood. The time flew by and before we knew it bacon was sizzling and hunger levels started to rise. After five hours the session drew to a close against the wishes of everyone present – we could have carried on all day.'
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