For the past three years Beaulieu Estate Management has hosted an outdoor summer event for its residents. The events are instrumental in bringing the new community together, providing residents with the opportunity to meet their neighbours and allowing them to enjoy and learn about the great parks and open spaces that have been created at Beaulieu.

This year, Beaulieu’s residents enjoyed a Community Picnic with a schedule of activities for the whole family. The picnic provided an excellent opportunity for children and adults alike to make new friends while enjoying the sunshine and landscaped spaces that Beaulieu offers.

Shane Ibbs told traditional stories from his amazing tent of wonders, attracting children and parents alike. Shane was fantastic and engaged with all who attended. Residents can expect to see more storytelling events in the future.

Another highlight was an Aiki Shotokan Karate workshop, run by a local academy who offer classes at the Beaulieu Community Centre. Both parents and children joined in to learn some basic karate moves.

MowMow Rocks was another exciting game that caught the imagination of the children. Taking a new spin on hide and seek, the app-based game involves rocks painted by the children which are then hidden across the development. MowMow encourages children to explore the outdoors while also inspiring their creativity. We hope this is the first of many such games played at Beaulieu across the year.

Beaulieu families also had the opportunity to make bird feeders to take home and take part in a Bee Kind trail, exploring The Chase Park and Gardens to seek out flowers that are beneficial to bees. Once they had identified all the bee-friendly flowers, they were rewarded with a packet of wildflower seeds to grow in their own gardens.

Martin Payne, Beaulieu Estate Management’s Community Engagement Officer, was instrumental in making the picnic a success and says: “We were blessed with amazing weather which certainly made for a pleasant afternoon on Saturday, with families coming together to enjoy the glorious sunshine. The children loved running around and enjoying the great outdoor spaces that Beaulieu offers. I look forward to working with the residents to plan next year’s summer event.”