Learning Space

Learning Space Learning Space supports children, young people and their families with their emotional wellbeing and mental health. Learning Space is neuro-affirming

With bases in Redhill, Tamworth and Guildford, Learning Space serves, Surrey, Kent and Sussex.

We were incredibly honoured to welcome Andrew Wates OBE DL to the Garden Project today! 🌿🛠️ Andrew and his family’s ch...
31/05/2026

We were incredibly honoured to welcome Andrew Wates OBE DL to the Garden Project today! 🌿🛠️ Andrew and his family’s charitable foundations are phenomenal champions for vulnerable young people, funding crucial projects that help them re-engage with education, trades, work, and apprenticeships. From his decades of leadership at to his passionate advocacy for rehabilitation and training with , his commitment to giving young people a second chance is amazing to see. Today was a fantastic opportunity to show him how Learning Space aligns with this mission. By providing rapid, preventative therapeutic support in a safe, structured garden environment, we help children managing anxiety and neurodiversity build the confidence they need to stay in school and look toward a bright future. Thank you so much for your time, Andrew. We are so excited about the work your trusts do, and we look forward to continuing the conversation with you very soon! 💚

Ever wondered how Learning Space helps young people?Here is J's story:J's family were contacted via Learning Space whils...
29/05/2026

Ever wondered how Learning Space helps young people?

Here is J's story:

J's family were contacted via Learning Space whilst he was on the waiting list for an autism assessment. He was 9 years old and struggling with managing emotions due to undiagnosed Autism and ADHD. Several exclusions had left him believing he was “a bad boy,” and his parents felt blamed and alone.

How We Helped

We a familiar framework to help J:

• Identify early signs of dysregulation
• Understand how Autism and ADHD can affect body cues
• Notice when his engine was speeding up, slowing down, or struggling
• Practise the strategies that brought his engine back to “just right”

This became the foundation for exploring how his brain processes feelings and what he needed to stay calm, safe and confident.

J’s mum joined every session so she could use the same approaches at home and we worked closely with school to ensure everyone used the same shared language and strategies.

This systemic approach rebuilt trust and created consistency across home, school and Learning Space.

The Difference It Made:
Jack now understands himself better, feels calmer and more confident, and can express what he needs. His parents feel supported, informed, and connected — and school staff have clear strategies that make his day more successful.

“After being told for years it was my parenting, I finally feel hopeful for the future.” — J’s parent

A huge thank you to Cllr Nick Harrison, the Mayor of Reigate and Banstead, for taking the time to visit the Patchworking...
29/05/2026

A huge thank you to Cllr Nick Harrison, the Mayor of Reigate and Banstead, for taking the time to visit the Patchworking Garden Project today! 🌿☀️

The sun was shining, the gardens were in absolute full bloom, and it was the perfect setting to show the Mayor the heart of our therapeutic Learning Space support. It was a beautiful day where we had the joy of welcoming not only the children, but their families, carers, friends, and the dedicated supporters of Learning Space .

Many of the young people we work with struggle deeply with anxiety. For them, this garden is a true safe haven—a calm environment with absolutely no pressure where they can naturally regulate, socialise, and just be themselves.

We also want to send a massive thank you to our wonderful therapeutic practitioners for creating such fabulous activities and crafts for everyone to get involved with! 🎨

The Mayor spent wonderful, dedicated time speaking directly with the children, carers, and friends, truly listening to their stories and seeing the impact firsthand. We are already looking forward to welcoming him back for a follow-up meeting at our offices to discuss how we can continue to support our community! 💚

Have you ever wondered how Learning Space can help our young people?Here's one story! A girl joined our ND Patchworking ...
27/05/2026

Have you ever wondered how Learning Space can help our young people?
Here's one story!

A girl joined our ND Patchworking Garden Group, a 9 session outdoor programme for children and young people with neurodiverse (ND) needs. She was referred due to anxiety, including emotional and separation anxiety, which were affecting her confidence and ability to take part independently.

How We Helped

We supported her through a gentle, relationship based approach that helped her feel safe and gradually build confidence within the group. As she became more familiar with the staff and environment, she engaged more fully in activities and formed a positive friendship, strengthening her sense of belonging. When she had to miss a session, she felt very sad—showing how meaningful and secure the group had become for her.

Using Play to Understand Anxiety (Fight / Flight / Freeze)

One activity Isla particularly enjoyed was the “Rabbits and Foxes” game, which explores fight, flight and freeze responses through play. She engaged well and began developing her own strategies within the game, showing increased understanding and growing confidence.

Personalised Regulation Toolkit

Because abstract conversations about feelings don’t always land for neurodiverse children, we focused on practical, hands on activities to make emotions and coping strategies more concrete. Isla took part in activities such as:
• Making a sensory bottle to support mindfulness and calming
• Learning breathing techniques through “hot chocolate breathing” (drinking hot chocolate slowly and noticing the smell)
• Discussing how anxiety impacts us and exploring different ways of managing it.
• Creating a plan for a coping/sensory box to use at home (what could go in it and how to use it)
• Receiving a keyring at the end of the programme capturing positive things other group members had said about her.

Having real, physical tools helped Isla recognise what worked for her and made it easier to use strategies outside of the sessions.

The Difference It Made

She made clear progress using Goal Based Outcomes (a simple 1–10 scale showing how well things are going from the child’s perspective):
• Confidence improved from 4 → 8 (10 being the best things can be)
• Understanding emotions improved from 5 → 8 (10 being the best things can be)
• Happiness improved from 2 → 8 (10 being the best things can be)

Over the programme, Isla showed more confidence in group situations, a better understanding of her emotions and anxiety, an increased ability to use coping strategies, and growing resilience to speak up for herself. She also developed a positive friendship and a stronger sense of belonging.

Thank you to Isla’s mum, who is an artist, for creating the beautiful card of our staff at the garden.

Creative engagement looks different for every young person.From sensory play with sand to hands‑on, playful activities, ...
26/05/2026

Creative engagement looks different for every young person.

From sensory play with sand to hands‑on, playful activities, we find gentle, creative ways to help young people feel safe, curious and able to express themselves. Sometimes it’s in the small, tactile moments that the biggest connections grow.

We use creative and sensory approaches (like the photo) — to support engagement with young people who may find talking difficult.
Play can open the door to expression, regulation and trust 💛

Thankyou so much to Squires Milford for chosing us for their Love Where You Live campaign, and for your very kind donati...
23/05/2026

Thankyou so much to Squires Milford for chosing us for their Love Where You Live campaign, and for your very kind donation of a ÂŁ250 voucher for our therapeutic gardens.
It really is appreciated!

We wanted to say a huge thank you to Lime Tree Primary School and Nursery for choosing Learning Space for their House Ch...
22/05/2026

We wanted to say a huge thank you to Lime Tree Primary School and Nursery for choosing Learning Space for their House Charity Day.

Your donation makes a huge difference in the day to day running of the charity.
In 2024/25, we supported 2,385 children, young people, and families.
In the same year, we delivered 14,650 sessions of support and worked with many schools, providing staff training, pupil counselling, and pupil group sessions.

This is all possible because of peoples generous fundraising so we really appreciate your support-it really does make a difference. Thank you again to all the children and staff!

Learning Space is a charity working in Surrey and surrounding counties which supports the emotional well-being and mental health of children and young people aged 5-18 who are experiencing challenges such as anxiety, isolation or bullying. For over 25 years, we have been a lifeline for children and families across Surrey. We also provide support to their families and other professionals associated with their care or education. Crucially, we are neuro-affirming and skilled at working with people who are neurodivergent.

Thankyou to all who came along and supported Milo and the others on Sunday's Rotary in Guildford event in Shalford! We ...
21/05/2026

Thankyou to all who came along and supported Milo and the others on Sunday's Rotary in Guildford event in Shalford! We were unsure of what the weather was doing but what a success the walk was!

Milo has raised nearly ÂŁ650 so far, but there is still time to donate and support his efforts!

https://www.justgiving.com/page/christina-hendrick-1
Thank you Silverbirch House Care Home - Barchester Healthcare for your help on the day.

Money raised for Learning space enables us to support the emotional well-being and mental health of children and young people aged 5-18 who are experiencing challenges such as anxiety, isolation or bullying. For over 25 years, we have been a lifeline for children and families across Surrey.

"If a flower doesn't bloom, you change the environment in which it grows, not the flower." 🌸✨At Learning Space, our ther...
01/05/2026

"If a flower doesn't bloom, you change the environment in which it grows, not the flower." 🌸✨

At Learning Space, our therapeutic gardens are more than just outdoor spaces—they are vital "classrooms of nature" where children can explore their hopes and worries. As you can see from these leaves, our young people are balancing real nerves about school—detentions, bullying, and homework—with the excitement of new friends and new beginnings.

We often talk about the "right plant in the wrong place." Many children we support feel like they don't fit into traditional settings, but when we move the focus to nature, the pressure lifts. Nature doesn't judge; it simply exists.

The results speak for themselves. One local teacher recently shared:

"I would particularly like to highlight one student who has really struggled with her attendance. Since the intervention, we have seen a marked improvement... In fact, we know that on a Thursday, she will be in on time!"

By changing the environment, we are helping children re-engage with their education and their confidence. Thank you for helping us keep these gardens growing! 🌿💚



Instagram Post

Our Trustees and staff don’t just work for Learning Space—they run for it, too! 🏃💨A huge shout-out to our Trustee, Micha...
29/04/2026

Our Trustees and staff don’t just work for Learning Space—they run for it, too! 🏃💨

A huge shout-out to our Trustee, Michael Lightfoot, who is taking on a massive personal challenge. While Michael is a regular at his local parkrun, he has never run more than 5k before. This year, he’s doubling that distance to take on a 10k challenge in support of Surrey’s youth!

Michael is one of three Trustees and four staff members who have launched JustGiving pages to go the extra mile (literally!) for the children we support. Even after dedicated days of ensuring our charity runs smoothly, our team still finds the energy to fundraise outside of hours to ensure every child aged 5–18 can thrive.

Please join us in cheering Michael on! Every pound raised helps us provide neuro-affirming, solution-focused support for young people navigating anxiety and depression.

Support Michael here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/michael-lightfoot-1?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

Address

Redhill
RH16PA

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+441306631951

Website

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