DVIS Mamas doing 1.2 Million steps in April

This April, four brave (and slightly sleep-deprived) mums and their adorable (but highly unhelpful) babies are taking on an epic challenge: 1.2 million steps in April! That’s right—while most of us are stepping cautiously around stray Lego pieces, these ladies are strapping on their trainers, loading up the prams, and hitting the pavements of Dulwich.

Why? Are they running from nappy duty? Escaping the endless cries of “Muuuum!”? Tempting as that sounds, they’re actually stepping up for something far more meaningful: raising funds to create a Peace Garden at Dulwich Village Infants’ School.

Imagine a beautiful, tranquil space where little ones can relax, reflect, and NOT chase each other with sticks. A place where teachers can take a deep breath and pretend they’re on a peaceful retreat rather than wrangling 30 energetic kids. Sounds heavenly, right?

But here’s the thing—1.2 million steps is a LOT. It’s approximately 600 miles. That’s like walking from Dulwich to the Scottish Highlands (though thankfully with fewer midges). These mums will be clocking up steps at all hours—during nap times (if those exist), between snack emergencies, and while desperately trying to tire out their mini sidekicks.

We need your support! Please sponsor this mad, marvelous mission and help us bring a little more peace (and maybe a few fewer blisters) to Dulwich Village Infants. Whether you chip in for one step or a thousand, every penny gets us closer to that garden oasis!

Seriously though, a bit more about the Peace Garden explained by Helen Poyton (Head Teacher of DVIS)

The Peace Garden was installed originally as a place for reflection and as a quieter space to be in at lunchtime. Of course, children are children and everywhere is a wonderful playground!

So, we would like to reclaim the space somewhat with a bit more fencing around it and two entrance/exit gates, with the aim of leading the children through the space as a form of guided quiet time. Our DVIS Spiritual Development Policy shares the idea of a window, mirror and door when we think about ourselves and God.

Windows: Opportunities to look out on the world to gaze and wonder: The Wow and Ows moments. The things we find amazing and those things that bring us up short, the tougher, more painful moments.

Mirrors: Opportunities for children to reflect, to look inward and to consider some of the big questions of life: to explore their own insights and those of others.

Doors: Giving opportunities to children to respond, to do something, to go through the door of a creative expression of their own thoughts and convictions.

The garden would have a model of these three objects (window, mirror and door) and the teachers would use it as part of the RE curriculum in lessons but we would also train the children in how to use it during playtime (a class a week would have the opportunity to use it).

We would add some planting and then might have a permanent display of some of the key holidays (Christmas nativity scene and Easter garden?). We would hope for it to be interactive with different questions for the children to ponder and maybe something prayerful for them to respond to physically.

Thank you—your support means the world (and a few less tantrums).

Let’s make some steps (and some peace) happen!

Love,

Neika, Juliet, Anna and Alex along with babies Cillian, Robin, Emily and Felix.

xxxx