Heath Farm School’s Nature Garden Launch, Wednesday 3rd December 2025 Charing Station
On Wednesday 3rd December, Charing station celebrated the launch of its nature garden, the first garden on the Kent Downs Line. The garden started with a seed of an idea 4 years ago and the launch saw a culmination of a hugely successful collaboration between Heath Farm School Tutor Jo Newton, her talented colleagues and students, Kent CRP’s Project Officer Therese Hammond, Southeastern’s Community Relations Manager Matt Fraser and Network Rail’s Senior Public Affairs Manager William Knighton. A community licence was provided by Network Rail, Southeastern provided permission for a gate to be installed in a fence for access, Community Rail Network provided the funding for the gate, and a Southeastern in Bloom grant provided funding for membrane and bark for the pathway.
Heath Farm School is a specialist school and college that caters for young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs. Students are learning new skills whilst at school preparing items for the garden and when working in the garden itself. They were welcoming and cheerful during the event, which was heartwarming to see, they are justifiably proud of their nature garden – a truly awesome bunch! Whilst working in the garden tutors have reported that the students have interacted with passengers waiting on the platform who enquire as to what they are doing, this is a valuable opportunity for these students to communicate with the public in a safe space.
The students made hexagon habitats, bird boxes and bug hotels at school during their Design and Technology lessons then installed them in the garden. The trunks of the silver birch trees cut down to make way for the garden have been used to line the path, a woven fence has been created out of the saplings constantly growing in the space with more woven fencing being planned as the saplings regrow. Plants are being grown at school to be planted in the garden and there are so many imaginative future plans e.g. a whole school mosaic for the brick shelter illustrating, ‘Heath Farm School Nature Garden’ and various raised beds.
The students generously served delicious hot chocolate and mince pies to the event attendees who were truly grateful due to the chilly temperature. Jo, lead tutor gave a presentation of the work to date and the exciting future plans with contributions from her amazing students and a shout out for funding! Unfortunately, we were unable to take photographs of the smiling students.
The space is being used for the student’s volunteering element of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. It was explained that this has historically been the most difficult element of the award for the school to facilitate for these students however, the nature garden provides the perfect opportunity for safe volunteering.
A huge thank you to Jo and Helen the lead tutors on the project, all other supporting tutors and students for the many hours of work already spent and for the many hours committed to develop and maintain the garden for many years to come. Thank you to Matt and William for working with Jo and Therese to make the dream garden a reality.
Thank you to Chris Fribbins, Chair of Kent CRP and Clive English, Chair of Kent Downs Line for launching our nature garden by cutting our ribbon. Thank you to Mark our hugely supportive station manager for working extra hours to keep the station open to facilitate this event, we are truly grateful. Thank you to Antony Shaw, Southeastern’s Internal Communications Business Partner for covering the event.
