ESOL Students Join Us in the Garden of Wellbeing

This week, we welcomed two groups of learners from Joy Godwin’s ESOL classes (English for Speakers of Other Languages) to the Garden of Wellbeing at Stratford-upon-Avon Hospital. Joy’s sessions take place every Wednesday in the Lomas Community Room, offering a supportive space for people from around the world who are building their confidence in English while settling into life in the UK.

For many of the students, this was their first visit to the garden, and it quickly became a place of curiosity, connection and creativity.

Exploring the Garden Through Language

We began with a garden‑themed scavenger hunt, inviting the first group of 11 students and the second group of 12 to explore the space and find items from a checklist. Each clue linked to an English word or phrase such as plants, textures, colours and wildlife features, turning the garden into a living classroom.

As they walked around identifying each item, students practised new vocabulary, asked questions, and shared discoveries with one another. The activity sparked conversations not only about language, but about nature, culture and the different plants they recognised from their home countries.

Creating Messages of Positivity

After the scavenger hunt, the groups moved on to a hands‑on creative activity. Using wooden plaques made from scrap pallet wood that we cut to size and sanded down, students decorated their own pieces with words, drawings and messages.

Some wrote about what they loved in the garden: the colours, the calm, the birdsong. Others chose uplifting messages for future visitors, offering encouragement, kindness and hope in their newly learned English.

These plaques will form part of a small garden art installation, creating a feature that celebrates the voices and experiences of the people who use this space. It will stand as a reminder that the Garden of Wellbeing belongs to everyone in the community, and that every contribution adds beauty and meaning. 

A Celebration of Community

The afternoon was filled with laughter, learning and shared pride. For the students, it was a chance to practise English in a real‑world setting. For us, it was a reminder of how powerful gardens can be as places of welcome, confidence‑building and connection.

We are grateful to Joy and her wonderful ESOL groups for joining us, and we look forward to seeing their artwork become part of the garden for staff, patients, visitors and community groups to enjoy.