Frendsbury Gardens is an inner city community garden located within Brockley. To ensure the diverse community can be use the garden all year around we want an outdoor space that could be used for gardening in the rain, chilling with friends or as a performance space. We want it have lots of bright colour so that the educational space is both functional in keeping people dry but is a piece of art in of itself. The timber deck is shaped like a leaf and is made from recycled materials. The classroom is designed to be quick, cheap & easy to construct by volunteers, and it aims to inspire those who build and use it.

What we'll deliver:

• Hold an open day so local artist can use it as a exhibition space.
• Use the volunteers to tidy up the garden and make it a more inviting space.
• Allow young people who choose the design can do their street dance performance in open air

Why it's a great idea:

We are hoping having spoken to other greenspaces in the area to use the same format to build other open outdoor buildings for the community to enjoy across the Lewisham area. We have spoken to the council and if we work together on a common theme it maybe possible in the future to create a map which people can follow between the greenspaces. The open outdoor cover will mean that people or volunteers can enjoy activities but no longer be put off by the weather or temperature during the darker winter months when attendance tends to drop off. Getting children and adults outside improves the amount of Vitamin D they get access to improving bone structure, reduces stress levels, improves social interaction and emotional wellbeing. By creating a open outdoor classroom at the garden which are open to the public 7 days per week we add a positive addition to inner city community garden.

Steps to get it done:

• Buy materials for the build
• finalise uses for space, community police concerns and materials to be used with architect
• Fund raising and seeing if you can source build material for free or via corporate social responsibility
• produce planning documents and submit the outdoor classroom application
• publise activities for the build and recruit members of the community that will be involved in the build
• with support of the professional structural engineer and architect start the community build
• ensure have support of council explore ways of financing & sharing project with other lewisham greenspaces
• Report back on the finished classroom hold an event to show it off to the community
• Source materials, run workshops with community to see how it will be decorated
• Start preparation of site e.g cutting down over hanging trees prepare ground for foundation
• vote completed final design choosen and agreed by the FFG commitee
• Work with local architect to create designs that fit brief to enable vote by community
• Work with local community to ensure understand all the requirements for the space

We have some funds to do the basics like pay for the professional fees and go through planning application, but to make it a more durable artistic structure we need funds to buy the best quality green materials which will ensure it lasts at least between 15 - 20 years. Any additional funds raised will be used to add more colour to the structure. The outdoor classroom is being specifically designed so that it can be built by the community. Learning extra skills which could help them get jobs in the construction industry or at the very least ensure that the community has a greater sense of ownership and reducing vandalism and damage. If you want to find out more about how we support the different groups at Frendsbury Gardens (FFG) please see the full video at the link below https://youtu.be/nBcoPkOCSzM