Renboga art centre celebrates first birthday

Renboga is based in a six-metre round yurt, nestled in a wildflower meadow at Lopemede Farm, Thame and offers sessions for small groups of children, young people and adults to be let loose on their plentiful art supply and be creative in whatever way suits them.

The founder, Rosie Brandon, is an artist, educator and forest school leader with more than 14 years of experience and is on a mission to share the combined joy and power of art and forest school with the people around her.

Rosie, Renboga’s founder, says: “I wanted to create a space where people could be themselves and find their own, authentic ways to be creative. Renboga is inspired by the values of forest school with nurturing at its core and is ready to adapt with each person. We believe in unique art by unique people.”

Eddie Rixon, the farmer at Lopemede Farm where Renboga is based says: “We are very fortunate to have the excellent business Renboga trading at the farm, and it's fantastic to be celebrating their one year anniversary. Rosie was both of my children's forest school leader so I already knew that she was an amazing teacher and has a natural affinity with children. Bringing children onto the farm is great to help provide that nature connection which is so needed in our society today.

“If we are to expect children to nurture our planet, then children will care more about nature if they have a relationship with it. And the only way to develop such a relationship is for children to experience nature fully; they must walk in, play, explore, see, touch, and smell it.

“We are looking forward to Renboga operating at Lopemede Farm for many more years to come.”

Louise, a parent from Renboga says: “We are so very grateful to have Renboga in our lives. Watching Rosie interact with all the different children, finding out what they like and providing a space for all children to just be, with no expectations is truly magical. Rosie makes every single person feel special and loved. The world definitely needs more people like her. I am looking forward to being a part of Renboga for many years to come.”

Renboga’s favourite moments from the last year include; painting with our hands, feet, knees, heads and tummies; autumnal sunsets with bats flying and drawing tree silhouettes; making lanterns in the winter and experimenting with glow-in-the-dark paint while cosying up in the yurt next to the wood burner, seeing the first signs of spring appear with wildflowers in our meadow and the first lamb to be born.

Renboga offers term-time sessions with an after-school club on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays plus a dedicated session to teenagers who may be taking on their Arts Awards qualification on Wednesday evenings. If you educate your child at home, you will also find sessions aimed at getting families together. During the school holidays Renboga offers holiday art adventure days - six hours packed with creativity, fun, friends, nature and snacks too.

Find out more about Renboga at www.renboga.org