The 9 children who attend Barnardos Friendship Group in Finglas recently made plans to decorate the entrance way of the centre with a gardening project that would welcome everyone into the building and make them smile.
Posted on Wednesday 20 June 2018 in Corporate News, Events
When I come to Barnardos I want it to be bright and fun
These are the words of the children attending the Barnardos Friendship Group in Finglas.
Friendship Group is a peer to peer group which gives children in the community a place to develop and practice the skills they need to form healthy friendships.
The 9 children who attend Barnardos Friendship Group in Finglas recently made plans to decorate the entrance way of the centre with a gardening project that would welcome everyone into the building and make them smile.
The children chose this gardening project as part of the Investing in Children Award, developed by Tusla, which recognises and celebrates examples of imaginative and active inclusion of children and young people in dialogue and change.
The children who meet, along with two Barnardos staff, every week for two hours decided to set up a Gardening Club to complete their project. Each member of the club had a chance to voice what they wanted to see in the garden from bright colours and bird feeders to the lesser spotted garden dweller, a unicorn.
With the wonderful support of B&Q stores in Liffey Valley, Swords and Tallaght the children were gifted an array of plants, plant pots and two beautiful garden benches to complete their project.
The children led the project, agreeing on a design, completing the painting and planting and decorating bird and butterfly houses to turn a dull grass entrance way into a bright and welcoming garden that would provide them with a fun outdoor space and parents with a relaxing place to sit. In May the children presented their project to the Investing in Children judges and regardless of the results they are winners in our eyes.
The positive impact of the Friendship Group on these children was showcased in their enthusiasm to enter the Investing in Children Award and their ability to work together to create something of great meaning to them. Since beginning the Group at the start of the year the children have formed stronger bonds not only with each other but with those outside of the group, strengthening their relationship building skills and boosting their confidence.
Speaking at the Garden's opening ceremony Aisling Andrews, Partnerships Lead in Barnardos, said "We are incredibly proud of the children in our Finglas Friendship Group for showing great imagination and demonstrating the power of teamwork to create this inspiring garden in their community. And we are especially grateful to the management and staff in B&Q who helped make their dream garden a reality, thank you".
To learn more about Barnardos work and be part of the change in a child's life please contact us on 01 4530355.
If your company would like to get involved please contact Aisling at [email protected].
