The Heartwood Project
Do you enjoy fresh air and being outside? Are you looking for meaningful connection in a beautiful woodland setting? The Heartwood Project offers weekly sessions for adults who have learning disabilities, are neurodivergent or who have mental health or additional needs. We are a friendly and supportive team who focus on the clients in order to enable them to reach their potential.
Our Project
Physical and mental wellbeing is at the heart of what we do here at The Heartwood Project.
The Heartwood Project is for adults with a learning disability, who are neurodivergent or who have mental health or additional needs to access nature in meaningful, relaxed and creative ways where they can feel valued, nurtured and connected to the natural world and to each other.
Crafting, shaping, sawing, weaving and constructing. These are all skills you can develop at The Heartwood Project.
We have created a programme of activities based on seasonal activities, traditional and modern woodland crafts, and will train clients in related skills, with the help of experienced and supportive staff. Our activities include: woodland management, making charcoal, greenwood crafts, pottery, weaving, foraging and woodwork.
Our ancient woodland setting, is a naturally healthy space to make, mend and craft functional and beautiful items for keeps and selling. We use recycled as well as locally sourced wood in an ecologically sustainable way.
West Wartling Woods
Our small woodland (approx. 8.5acres) is family owned and managed with wildlife in mind. Classified as Ancient Semi Natural, this means that it has been a woodland for over 400 years and possibly a lot more. It is mixed broadleaf and has around 25 different tree species on site. Mainly oak, birch, willow with coppiced hornbeam and sweet chestnut.
In a previous life the woodland used to be a small caravan and camping site and as such has a small 1/4acre grassy clearing and mains water on site as well as good hard road access and parking. We also have two composting toilets as well as a sheltered area for when it’s raining. It has a feeling of being remote yet has very good access.
We have been managing the woods for nearly 15 years using coppicing (a traditional method of woodland management) that allows wood to be harvested whilst opening areas up for more light and consequently more plants, flowers and wildlife. These harvested trees grow back over the next 15/20 years or so before they are harvested again. This produces plenty of materials for making charcoal, firewood and greenwood working projects from spoons and catapults to gates, fencing and buildings.
We have been making charcoal for the local barbecue industry for around 7 years and as a bi-product of this we have recently started producing biochar, a powerful soil improver.
The woods are full of wildlife including bats, deer (fallow and roe) hedgehog, fox, badger, lizards, frogs, slowworms, treecreepers, goldcrests and many, many more. Spending time here gives a real sense of connection to the natural world and many people comment about the positive and healing qualities that the woods have.