"Where learning meets the outdoors"
Woodpecker Court
Woodpecker Wood Community Interest Company
Woodpecker Wood CIC
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Woodpecker Wood CIC, founded in 2016, is a Social Enterprise that exists for the purpose of improving the life chances of children and young people, whose circumstances have led them to struggle to develop in readiness for adult life. It provides activities and experiences utilising the outdoors to deliver formal and informal education as well as access for community, families and other Youth Organisations to the great outdoors. The aims are to improve outcomes for Children, Young People and their Families in terms of skills, knowledge, self confidence and therefore lifelong prospects.”
Woodpecker Wood CIC works in partnership with Woodpecker Court Ltd to deliver this purpose. Woodpecker Court’s operational ethos is, “Where learning meets the outdoors.” Woodpecker Court is a specialist post 16 education provider with as strong community ethos. It is the common purpose of both organisations to provide outdoor learning opportunities for the immediate community as well as the students that we support. For example, the community farm is there for local people and children to enjoy – it also provides the practical experiences needed for animal care students to achieve.
Funders who have kindly supported Woodpecker Wood
With thanks to:
Community events
Winter Wonderland
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Every December Woodpecker Wood hosts its popular Winter Wonderland
event which is accessed by hundreds of members of the local community.
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The Woodpecker Court site is transformed with coloured festive lights trailing
the pathways leading through various stalls from the local community selling
their products, towards the kitchen where hot drinks and the famous
Woodpecker Court hot dogs are given out. Fun activities are provided such as
marshmallow toasting, Christmas craft activities, a live nativity scene, meeting
Ebony the Christmas pony, writing a letter to Santa as well as a visit to the big
man himself and receiving a gift.
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​​2024 saw the introduction of the dome where after following a trailing winter path and enjoying an indoor snowball fight Santa met several hundred local children. We were also joined by the Wingham Ukuleles group who serenaded us with some wonderful festive music. Students made a selection of small Christmas decorations and gifts that could be purchased as was a wonderful handmade wooden Christmas decorations handcrafted in the workshop. This is a very much loved local event that is enjoyed by many.
Easter Eggstravaganza / Lambing Day
Another popular annual event (come rain or shine!) is our Easter
Eggstravaganza / Lambing day which is held around Easter each year
where the local community are invited to come and meet our lambs and
have a cuddle. Local children can also enjoy an Easter egg hunt around
the Woodpecker Court site and woods with a chocolate prize at the end.
Easter crafts, food and drink are all provided for all to enjoy.​​​
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2024 saw us opening up the reptile room alongside the other activities where members from the local community could meet hissing cockroaches, African land snails our Crested Gecko and lastly if they were lucky a quick hold of Aries our Royal Ball Python!
Summer Fair
Our newest community event is the Summer fair which was introduced
in 2024. This event was inspired by Richard Tilden-Smith who lived on the
site of Woodpecker Court in the 1920’s and owned the local Tilmanstone
Colliery. He supported the local miners and their families helping with
their educational and social needs as well as providing garden parties and
summer fairs.
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The Woodpecker Wood summer fair consists of traditional fair games
including a coconut shy, lucky dip, tin can alley, splat the rat and hook the
duck. There was also the chance to meet members from the ambulance,
police and fire brigade and have fun on the giant bouncy slide.
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Members from the community were entertained by children from
Eythorne and Elvington primary school with a musical theatre
performance, dancing from a local Dance school and the Wingham
ukulele group provided a wonderful Summer atmosphere with a selection of songs.
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To finish the afternoon was a fun dog show with rosettes for the winners in categories in pedigree, crossbreed, waggiest tail, veteran and of course finishing with the best in show.
Charitable Activities
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Staff and students at Woodpecker Court undertake a variety of charitable activities throughout the year.
These activities often take the form of coffee mornings, non-uniform days, and cooking for the homeless.
These activities support organisations such as United families, Dover pantry, MacMillan cancer support, Royal British Legion, Children in Need, Comic Relief, 16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence, Anti Bullying Alliance, Alzheimer’s society, and Save the Children.
This work is an essential part of our ethos, promoting selfless acts and thought for others as fundamental British Values.
Supporting Events
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We are committed to promoting community cohesion. On top of the Charitable activities undertaken we also actively support events organized by other groups.
These include family fun days, Let’s Chat, hosting the RSCPA for a cat neutering service, Bike marking and more.
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Each month we support the local Let’s Eat initiative run by Elvington Community Centre. The catering students prepare and serve 50-60 meals to the local community allowing those attending to receive a free of charge two-course meal every month.
We have worked in partnership with Dover District Council, Elvington Heritage Centre, St. Peter & St. Paul Church, Tilmanstone Welfare Club and Eythorne Elvington Community Primary School to deliver a range of community activities and charitable events.
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Key to our ethos is playing a full part in our local community supporting and providing engaging, cohesive activities. The benefit to our students is regular diverse opportunities to engage in real world work experience, as part of their preparation for working life. These opportunities are vital in a post pandemic society in which work experience is hard to secure.
Community Cafe and Garden
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Our community café is a wonderful space that is open to the general public that sells hot and cold drinks and snacks such as toasted sandwiches, bacon rolls, cakes and chocolate bars. Alongside it sits an honesty stall with products made by the students and eggs for sale as well as the community garden which is a great space to sit and enjoy the peace of the woods.
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The community café has regular customers that visit every day as well as students being able to utilise the café which is helping them with budgeting skills and social skills when ordering.
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The café is run by one of Woodpecker Court’s ex students who is completing an apprenticeship in Hospitality and Catering. The café has also afforded third year students the opportunity to build their confidence and customer service skills by spending time there serving customer and preparing food and drinks.
Community Farm and Farm School
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In 2018 we started the process of developing the Community Farm. Working in partnership with the Tilmanstone Welfare Club, we developed the land next to the sports pitches into the community facility that you can see today. With a wide range of species to see and engage with, the farm has a number of benefits. It is a free attraction for local people to enjoy when they take a walk in the villages. It is a facility that enables our students to develop their practice and skills while studying Land Based and Animal Care qualifications. It is also a facility for local primary schools to enjoy Farm School sessions, where experiences are linked to the primary curriculum.
School holiday activities in the woodland
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During all school holidays students and staff create, prepare and set out activities for the community to engage with. The activities are related to the time of year, celebrations for example are Halloween, Christmas, and Easter. Activities are provided either within Woodpecker Court’s woodland or on the Woodpecker Court Facebook page. The range of activities include colouring competitions, puzzles, hunts within the woods, art projects, Growing tallest flowers, pebble painting, wooden people. Staff and students strive to create new and engaging activities throughout the year.
