Late Summer is a time of abundance and slowing down. 

We will use nature to support us in our reflections and see what emerges as we learn from its wisdom.

This is a Re-Treat – these days are planned as a treat for you – come and have an enjoyable, relaxed day full of guided reflection, learning and laughter in a natural environment that asks nothing of you, except to simply be.

 

Sample Agenda

10:00 - 10.30  Arrival and refreshments

Arriving, grabbing a cuppa and settling in.

 

10:30 Welcome

Welcome by Christina and introductions

10:35 - 10:50  Community Agreement

Health & Safety, working in nature, belonging and reflection on our personal outcomes for the day

10:50 - 12:30 Connecting with Nature

A mix of grounding, connecting and reflection practices to help us deepen and align our connection with self, our work and nature and walking around the garden spaces.

12:30 - 13:15 Lunch

You can bring your own lunch or pick something up at the cafe. 

Drinks and snacks will be provided. 

13:15 - 15:30  Reflection in partner with nature

Working with nature as we walk, sit and explore our inner and outer landscapes, with an offer of practices that will engage us individually, in pairs and as a group.  Creative crafting exercise with a late summer theme. 

15:30 – 16:00 Cuppa & treats, reflections and connection

Developing our learnings and sharing our insights and what we are taking away from our day

16:00  Close - leaving with a renewed energy and connection to yourself and nature

You may cancel up to 30 days before the event. Please see our Terms and Conditions for further information. 

Terms and Conditions for this Reflective Practice in Nature Event

Throughout ‘we’ and ‘us’ refers to Christina Gates Ltd and ‘you’ means the person booking, and/or paying for the service.

Bookings, Payments and Cancellations

Payment is paid in full at the time of booking and includes all fees and charges.

You can cancel up to 30 days before the event for a refund minus 10% to cover essential admin charges.  No cancellations can be made after this time.  In most circumstances, we will allow you to transfer your ticket to another person or future event, but please contact us first to discuss and arrange.

The price includes facilitation, entry ot the gardens, use of venue, snacks and drinks.  It does not include transport to the venue or any overnight accommodation.

Alterations and Cancellation by us:  The agenda we have provided is an outline and is subject to change dependent on weather conditions, available resources and any other factors beyond our control. 

We reserve the right to cancel the event if we do not have enough participants to make it viable to run, or due to an unavoidable situation such as illness of a facilitator, where running it with one facilitator would negatively impact the quality of the day.  In these cases we will provide a full refund or offer a transfer of your ticket to a future date.

Health and Safety, Risk and Liability

We will take reasonable steps in relation to the health and safety of attendees at the event including providing a health and safety briefing at the beginning of the session and undertaking a Risk Assessment prior to the event.  However the responsibility for health and safety issues remains with you, the client, throughout. You are responsible for looking after your own wellbeing and for letting us know if you have any health conditions that we need to be aware of within the context of working outdoors. We will accept no liability for any injury or accidents that occur during the event. 

Respect and Inclusivity

By booking on this event, you agree to be respectful and considerate of other attendees, the facilitators, other people visiting the venue, wildlife and nature and the group’s shared enjoyment of the experience.  

We believe in treating everyone equally and with the same attention, courtesy and respect regardless of their age, disability, gender, marital status, race, racial group, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, religion, belief or sexual orientation.  We will not tolerate discrimination, and should anyone act in a discriminatory way, we will ask them to leave the session.  Those asked to leave will not be entitled to a refund.

Christina Gates Ltd

Practical information for our day

How do I get to the venue? Dr Neil's Garden is next to Duddingston Loch and near Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, ​at 5 Old Church Lane, Duddingston, Edinburgh EH15 3PX.  You can access the garden by foot, bike, car and bus.  For more information please visit https://www.drneilsgarden.co.uk/planning-your-visit

What is accessibility like at the garden? The garden is steeply sloping in places, and some paths are narrow. A purpose-built path enables visitors with reduced mobility to view as much of the garden as possible. However, one short section is too steep for a sloping path so wide steps have been built.

What should I wear?  We will be outdoors for much of the day, whatever the weather (unless deemed to be unsafe conditions) so please come prepared. It'll be late Summer, so some stinging plants e.g. nettles, biting insects and ticks may still be present. Wear clothes you are comfortable in and suitable for the weather that days bring.  We suggest long trousers, sleeves and suitable sturdy, closed toe footwear for your own comfort and safety when out in the gardens and it's different terrains. 

What other facilities are there for our day? There is one toilet just outside the gate to the garden and further toilets in the cafe (when open).  We will have a tea urn for our use in the Glass Shelter, which will be our exclusive private indoor space for the day.  It's a small space with views out over the garden.  

What are the timings for the day?  We will start with arrivals, refreshments and settling in from 10am onwards with activities kicking off at 10.30am prompt. We will finish by 4pm.

Are lunch and refreshments provided?  Please bring your own favourite lunch or there is a cafe adjacent to the gardens or a pub across the road.  I will be providing a range of hot and cold drinks, snacks and treats for throughout the day! I'll be in touch ahead of the event to find out any specific dietary requirements or allergies you may have. All snacks and treats will be vegetarian friendly.

What should I bring?  I will provide you in advance with a list of things I suggest you bring along on the day.

What else is important to know?  This is a shared gardens with other visitors so we will need to be respectful of their space too when out and about.  

Will this count towards my Continuing Professional Development hours?  Yes, you should be able to claim up to 5 hours of CPD and a certificate will be available on request.