To receive a presentation from Nature’s Haven.

Claire Charalambous, Horticultural Therapist (Nature’s Haven), and Aleks Brown, Naturopath / Nutrition Therapist (Nature’s Haven), gave an overview of Nature’s Haven. The objectives of Nature’s Haven were to bring the community together, give them a safe space to attend events and workshops, learn more about horticulture and nature and how that can benefit them. They were doing this in conjunction with other organisations, namely Waltham Place and Braywick Nature Centre, forming a group named ‘Gather and Grow’ to promote events throughout the year.

Nature’s Haven started in April 2023 after being invited by Councillor Douglas to clear up the neglected garden of the Maidenhead Community Centre. While it was primarily by Claire Charalambous and Aleks Brown, Nature’s Haven had a band of volunteers to help out. After some work, the Community Centre garden being transformed into a haven, with the garden being designed to stimulate senses with sound, colour, fragrance, movement texture and taste. The garden had a mix of flowers, herbs, fruit and vegetables. It enabled visitors to visit a quiet place to reflect and to enjoy being outside in nature or to engage in gardening. As part of their gardening work, Nature’s Haven was also developing a new area in front of the Community Centre building by clearing and shredding the area to make way for an orchard of various trees which would receive some funding from RBWM. The orchard would showcase how the amount of fruit could be grown in a relatively small space and the different way in which this could be achieved.

Nature’s Haven was also going to launch the ‘Sow, Grow, Eat…Repeat’ program, a 4 week initiative to help people on how to grow, tend, harvest fruit and vegetables.

Claire Charalambous and Aleks Brown then gave some credit to their group of volunteers as well as support from another charity, GoodGym.

One principle which Nature’s Haven promoted was sustainability, which included ensuring the fruit and vegetables which they grew was good quality as well as minimalise waste (e.g., using old pumpkins for bird feed).

Nature’s Haven recently started working with the Berkshire College of Agriculture (BCA) by taking on adult students who were learning to return to a working environment. The volunteering taught student horticultural skills which would open up opportunities for them to paid work. In addition, Nature’s Haven were going to have some corporate volunteering sessions with Travelport and MCS (a software company) to help out with clearing the site for the orchard and then do some planting as well.

In conclusion, Claire Charalambous and Aleks Brown then listed the events and workshops which were managed by Nature’s Haven: ‘Sow, Grow, Eat…Repeat’, Gather and Grow Container Gardening, Wreath Making, Tea Blending, Fire Pit Meet Ups, composting seed gatherings, the Harvest Festival Fruit Tree Pruning and more. They then displayed their contact details:

·       Website: https://www.natureshaven.net/

·       Instagram: natures.haven.garden

·       Contact number: 07880 775731

Councillor Douglas declared an interest by informing that he was a trustee at Maidenhead Community Centre and therefore knew Nature’s Haven. He then praised the work of Nature’s Haven and their volunteers and thanked them for it.

Councillor Baskerville asked whether young offenders could be recruited as volunteers. Claire Charalambous and Aleks Brown had not thought of this idea, but they added that if they followed through with this, they would have to be careful due the BCA students having higher needs and therefore safeguarding was a potential issue. They would be open to the consideration if any details were sent through. The Chair suggested that Nature’s Haven could contact the Youth Offending Team and Probation Team.

Councillor Reynolds thanked Nature’s Haven for their work and looked forward to what they could do next. He notified that the Borough was launching a project called Verge on the Wild Site to encourage residents to look after a green space, whether their garden or a community area. He also offered support if needed. Claire Charalambous said she would be open to talking to Robyn Bunyan separately on this.

Councillor Douglas wondered if a new rose garden on the border between the back of the car park and Kidwell’s park would serve the double purpose of preventing access through the hedges as well as to adorn the area. Claire Charalambous replied that this could be something to investigate and that prominent rose growers could be reached out on whether they would be willing to donate some roses. Councillor Douglas suggested that this may have to go through Councillor Reynolds and the Park Team, to which Councillor Reynolds gave his support.

(Claire Charalambous and Aleks Brown left the meeting at 8:40pm)