The Visionaries and Axis Transform School 360’s Playground

The Visionaries, a social enterprise dedicated to connecting children, young people, and educators with the natural world, embarked on a transformative journey with School 360 in Stratford. Their ambitious plan to convert the school’s concrete playground into a vibrant green space received a significant boost when the Axis Foundation stepped in to lend support.

The Axis Foundation agreed to donate £9,500 towards the project. This funding went towards purchasing raised beds and an impressive array of 50 fruit trees, essential elements for the rewilding of School 360’s outdoor area. The initiative aimed not only to enhance the space but also to provide a hands-on, experiential learning environment for the students, particularly those facing challenging transitions or coming from marginalized backgrounds.

Eager to go beyond financial assistance, Axis employees volunteered their time and energy to help with the tree planting on the designated day (27^th March 2024). The team, consisting of Victor Williams, Georgie Doe, Emily Springham, Halima Rawat, Thomas Geach, and Vera O’Driscoll, rolled up their sleeves alongside students from reception, year 1, and year 2, to plant the fruit trees.

But the collaboration didn’t stop there. Axis volunteers joined the Conservation Volunteers to take on the role of educators, hosting an engaging educational activity for the students. Through interactive sessions, they imparted knowledge about nature, sustainability, and the importance of preserving green spaces—an invaluable lesson that goes beyond the confines of a classroom.

Axis Volunteer, Halima Rawat commented and said – ‘It has been great to use my volunteering day as it gets me out of the office and some fresh air and I’m helping the community as well so its lovely to be here.’

Andrea Silvain, Co-head at School 360 commented saying, ‘Axis have been fantastic – we wouldn’t even be able to do this project without the support we’ve had from them. Of course, things like this cost money and without the funding it wouldn’t have been possible. The climate for schools right now is that there is very little money in the budget for even the basic things so the fact that we are able to deliver this for families, for children and the community, it just wouldn’t be possible without the funding from Axis.”

By investing in initiatives that promote environmental stewardship and education, Axis hopes to make a meaningful impact on the lives of the next generation.