The Barn is about to reopen, Community Champions are here, lunch is Served and We Love Wildlife in Westdene! Jump in...
THE BARN IS REOPENING!
New and popular favourites at the Barn
From hypnobirthing classes through yoga for toddlers to First Aid for children the Barn has some interesting new learning sessions coming up soon. And we’re welcoming back many of our regular wellbeing tutors and community clubs.
The Barn will be bringing people together again from May 17th (in a socially distanced and responsible way of course!).
Starting with wellbeing, and fitness activities, clubs, meetings and learning activities, the Barn is gearing up with a view to opening fully again for all types of hires, including pre-teen birthday parties, after June 2021 – Government guidance permitting.
Barn improvements
The Barn has already been upgraded with hand sanitising stations and information about distancing and hygiene and during the latest lockdown we have installed a touch free front door lock system and bought a disinfecting system.
Keeping everyone safe
The fitness and wellbeing tutors have been helping Friends of Westdene Green develop policies and guidelines to make sure everyone is safe. Of course, everyone who uses the Barn will have a part to play to ensure that the space is used responsibly.
Check our webpage hereand on our noticeboards for more news about the activities as they re-start
Our wonderful Barn needs a few more volunteers to join the cleaning team. If you can spare an hour or so just once a month and would like to help keep our community venue looking great, please contact Dave Burton daveburton@burtonod.co.uk 07802 266035
Community Champions are local people who want to help neighbours, support local events and initiatives, develop ideas for clubs and groups, understand what our community wants from The Barn and The Green and all of the activities run by Friends of Westdene Green.
Community Champions will help us to consolidate all of that goodwill and help us out of lockdown and into the future as we rebuild and get back to wonderful community life here in Westdene. Find out more
If you are interested in joining a 15 minute introduction to find out more, please call Pete Jones 07927 099 661 or email mycommunitychampions@gmail.com and he will send you an online invitation. We look forward to hearing from you!
WESTDENE COMMUNITY LUNCH
The Barn's lunch club joined the Ascension team recently to take a delicious spring casserole round to 32 diners, with doorstep connection and reminder that out of sight is not out of mind. Find out more about how despite Covid, community meals continue to keep people connected
WILDFLOWER VERGES
A small re-wilding project is underway in Westdene. Wildflowers including oxeye daisy, cowslips, wild marjoram, red campion, scabious and chamomile have been planted in the grass bank outside the shops and a couple of verges on Eldred Avenue as well as under the trees at the Copse Hill/Highbank junction. In total 114 plants grown by the Wild Flower Conservation Society - Brighton and Beyond, were added to these areas. It is hoped that these verges will become example verges with the view to rolling it out onto other suitable places in the community. More here
RENEWAL ON THE GREEN WITH TWEACK
Easter opened up the Green again, so we picked up the trowels and the wildflowers and spent a lively morning planting. So, who’s “we”?
TWEACK, Greening Westdene, Westdene and Patcham ENTS, are groups more or less informally interested in picking up where the Council has had to bow out; only safety and essential maintenance is now routinely funded. “We” would like to help to develop natural life in Westdene, as TWEACK
has done for 25 years. Join us! Find more updates from TWEACK on their Facebook page and here
NEW PLAYGROUND FOR WESTDENE
Congratulations to Demita from My First Friends Nursery for all her hard work getting funding for the new playground! More here
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Every penny raised through hire of The Barn, activities and events contributes towards keeping The Barn open and creating exciting events and projects for everyone to enjoy. We are always looking for your involvement and ideas - so get in touch!
Please share this good news with your contacts!
Could you help us reach our older neighbours? Please show a little community spirit by printing this newsletter and popping through the letterbox of a neighbour or two.
Thank you!
Friends of Westdene Green Ltd is a Charitable Company Reg No EW57741and Community Benefit Society registered with the Financial Conduct Authority under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014. Reg No 7384.
Registered address 49 Dene Vale Brighton BN1 5ED
