23/06/2026
💚 Growing a Happier, Stronger Community: A Massive Thank You to the MCF and Surrey Freemasons! 💚
On behalf of the entire team, the young people, and the families we serve at Learning Space, we want to express how incredibly grateful we are to the Surrey Freemasons and the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) for their spectacular £50,000 grant to fund our Therapeutic Garden Groups!
The Surrey Freemasons have a long history of investing in the wellbeing of young people in Surrey, always moving in the knowledge that supporting youth builds a happier, stronger, and more connected community for the future. This money will have a truly transformative effect on the youth mental health crisis here in Surrey, where 1 in 6 local children is currently identified with a probable mental health disorder.
By funding the salaries of our frontline therapists, this investment secures our outdoor therapeutic sessions in Dorking and Farncombe. Nature-based therapy provides massive benefits for neurodivergent children who find traditional face-to-face communication in a room so hard. Working side-by-side in the outdoors allows traditional clinical pressures to dissolve, enabling deep, natural conversations to flow.
But unaddressed anxiety doesn't just isolate a single child; when a child struggles, families do also. Our gardens are designed as places for everyone to come together. Whilst children engage with our practitioners, parents and carers step out of isolation to support each other, share everyday challenges, and build deep community solidarity. It brings an immense sense of relief to parents and families when they finally see their child begin to thrive again.
This preventative work is vital to break the downward domino effect of social, isolation, anxiety, depression, school refusal, antisocial behaviour, and the risk of becoming NEET. By growing a passion for nature, we help children build the confidence to return to education or practical trades.
The Masons have a beautiful tradition of putting their professional trades and craftsmanship to work—hands-on—to build pergolas, garden rooms, and summer houses for community projects. That ethos of families and communities coming together to build tangible, protective local solutions matches everything we stand for. We feel certain this will become an enduring, long-term partnership, and we cannot wait to welcome local Lodge members into our gardens to watch our young people grow and thrive over the coming years!
Please join us in thanking the Surrey Freemasons and the MCF in the comments below! 👇🌿
Charitable Foundation Freemasons Lodges
The Freemasons' Charity Surrey Freemasons
