Mama Beech

So here it is, my final day on the Scilly Isles. I'm going to miss waking up to this view... Cases groaning as we squashed our treasures inside, beds stripped, rubbish in sacks, luggage hauled to the port for 10am, and then the final few hours enjoying St. Mary's. My hand baggage is heavy so I chose to stay very local. A wander in the shops, lunch by the sea, a swim, a book, and sunshine. It sped by way too fast! Last night we all dined together, all 9 volunteers plus Katie and kind of said our goodbyes then. Today all 5 of us staying at Kistvaen were on the 4.30 Ferry, so we mingled a bit, found our own way to say goodbye to this place, and boarded together for a calm crossing to mainland Cornwall. We laughed, and chatted, and dozed on the deck in the sun. The denim blue sea was gentle, with ripples and dolphins speeding us on our way.  Penzance was welcoming and the boat service ran like clockwork, all too soon we were on the docks in a group hug saying goodbye. We have lived...

That's it. Finished. Not the Forest School but my part in it. 4 full all-day sessions and an induction. The chance to work alongside other fully qualified Forest School Leaders, swap ideas, share skills, and work with children from Nursery through to 14 year olds who ALL want to explore. Isle of Scilly Forest School has the most incredible setting on St. Mary's, and the holiday sessions are open to locals and visitors. The rarity of the 8 days offered makes it an extra special event on the island, and there are many people who go out of their way to support it. Nine volunteers have been housed by the community, group meals have been offered, cakes baked, chocolates given. People I spoke to on days off were all enthusiastic about it, and spoke fondly of it, whether it was because their child has attended this August or because they used to. The children have been a mixture of residents to St. Mary's, children from other islands, friends or cousins here for a holiday, or sibl...

Tomorrow will be the penultimate day. Forest School with the 3 - 8 year olds, I'm really looking forward to it, watching the children enjoy the woods and exploring the environment. Today, however, was my last full 'day off', and it was glorious! The sun shone, the sea sparkled, the white sand glittered, the green of the trees and gold of the broken was vibrant. A few volunteers and I headed off to St. Martin's, the 5th inhabited island here at the Scilly Isles, and the 5th one we've visited. This wasn't the usual boat trip chugging over to a sister port, we took the long way, the wildlife tour around the Eastern Isles, and looked out for seals! The water was very calm considering we are nestling in the British corner of the Atlantic. The breeze was warm. Seals lazed on the rocks or bobbed their heads out of the water to watch us pass by. It's never entirely certain who is the voyeur! The people holding mobile phones aloft or the water creatures watching us w...

 St. Agnes: The fourth of five inhabited islands that make up the Scilly Isles, its small enough to wander its entire coast in just a few hours. Sandy bays, rugged rocks, ruined buildings, lighthouse, cafe... pub! If nothing else it's reminding me what 20000+ steps a day feels like! Sea spray. Drizzle. Light fog. Overcast clouds hung low... Warm wind, calm water, afternoon tea, coastal path... There is such a swing from white sandy beaches to towering rocks set into springy soil with scattered grass that the wildlife adapts to both.  Seagulls above and legions of squabbling sparrows in every shrub aiming for every crumb on a tourist's table! There are signs everywhere asking people NOT to feed the birds! Butterflies flit around, the occasional bug scurries past, stray feathers are found along paths.  All this nature entices us deeper along the tracks, into the coves, up on the rocks. The 'country trail' solutions lead to laddered stiles and overgrown passages through bu...

The last two days haven't really involved Forest School, but the have involved exploring, hiking, and nature! Saturday a group of us volunteers took the boat from St. Mary's over to Tresco and visited the Gardens there. The garden is home to many trees and plants that seem tropical in the UK, it has amazing views out onto the island it is planted on, the sea and islands around it, and of its own vistas. It also has the friendliest Golden Pheasants I have ever met AND the most adorable red squirrels! Having wandered the garden we strolled the coast, had lunch, and hiked back to the jetty in the nick of time for the last boat! Today, Sunday, we climbed back on one of the many boats that ferry people between the islands that make up Scilly and sailed to Bryher.  We made use of one of the many honesty huts and started our walk with home made cinnamon buns, and an artist's open studio, before exploring coves and bays, a little sea swimming, and a wander to the bustling fete. We ...

My actual volunteering here on Scilly is almost over, but my stay isn't. I'll be back at Forest School on Wednesday with the younger 3-8 age group. But between now and then I have 4 days to myself. Evening at St.Hugh That doesn't mean I'll be solo. There are 8 volunteers on St. Mary's Island, all here to help ensure a Summer Camp can go ahead. Some people have links to Katie, who runs Isle of Scilly Forest School, and some of us contacted her after she put out a notice of help wanted! There are 2 friends here from the Sussex Coast who have many years of experience of working with children, one of whom regularly attends Forest School within the Primary she works in and is going to start leading sessions in September. There is a Forest School Leader & Scout Leader who has travelled from The Midlands, another FSL who braved the journey from Cambridgeshire, and a Forest School newbie from just across the water on the mainland in Cornwall. We have a volunteer who has...