The Round House Community Project started in September 2010 with students from The Charles Dicken`s School, Broadstairs, Kent. Over the year a total of 56 brilliant students and two fabulous teachers were involved. As the year went on, the project gathered momentum and became a much talked about unique project back in school. Not only did the young people learn about the building of a traditional round house, they learnt about sustainability, ecology, woodland management, the value and need for wood as a resource, and how to use traditional hand tools responsibly and safely. They learnt to be outdoors in all weathers and to dress accordingly. Their communication skills, team building skills, personal confidence, self regulation & motivation, empathy, self awareness and personal commitment also developed over the time. A practical project developing Emotional Intelligence - amazing. They also realised that being without their phones & ipods for a whole day is actually, a positive experience!!!! A truly unique outdoor community project.
Our thanks also to Kent Wildlife Trust who provided the facility for us to coppice the Sweet Chestnut needed for the main build and to the Dawes family of Mount Ephraim Farm & Gardens who allowed us to coppice the Sweet Chestnut needed for the roof poles and the Hazel needed for the walls - the process of which all helps with the management of each woodland.
We were also joined by a team of very willing local adult volunteers to help during holidays and weekends and are still helping us until the last tile is on the roof!
The gallery photos show the story... it`s an awesome community project which has had such a positive effect on the lives of so many!