Digging the dirt – the world beneath your feet
A Wild Cat Wilderness Community Project
From March – June 2026
A fun, educational project across Lewisham about the importance of soil using art, pottery, the written word, gardening and more.
We are working with Kim Norton a local ceramic designer who specialises in soil and who was part of the Soil exhibition at Somerset House in 2025, Soil the World at our Feet, which inspired this project. To get involved or find out more info please email Maria wcw@rgtb.org.uk – with the subject matter ‘Digging the Dirt’
Key dates
Soil Festival 18th April at the Wild Cat Wilderness
Lewisham Open Community Gardens Day with Good Food Lewisham19th April
Summer Solstice Exhibition to show any creative outputs from the project at the Wild Cat Wilderness 20/21st June
Activities and workshops
Soil Heroes training 8th March
Storytelling 15th March
Family Forest School – Mud, soil and earth 9th May
Make bee skeps – 14th May and 4th June
Clay seed pod making 17th May
Cob oven workshop 24th May
Clay soil critters 30th May
Family Forest School – Fun with clay 6th June
Compost workshop 7th June
Get involved if you live, work or play in Lewisham
This isn’t an exhaustive list so it’s open to all of any age. Are you?
Involved in education whether at a junior, secondary school or college
Part of a growing space whether a community garden, allotment or just have you own garden.
Involved with a local green space in Lewisham including parks or playgrounds including friends of groups
A member of a local nature organisation including conservation and river organisations
A local charity or organistion that does art, crafts, poetry, writing, dance or anything creative
Any group including those with disabilities, multicultural groups, faith groups, health organistion, youth group, in fact anyone in the borough of Lewisham that fancies getting involved.
Things we are doing which you can get involved in
Become a Soil Hero
If you are part of a local group we are looking for people to help with project and spread the word. We will provide some training and information so you can pass this onto others on the 8th March 11-3. To book your place please email Maria wcw@rgtb.org.uk with your full name, organisation you are representing and address and mobile phone number.
Hands on workshops, talks and films about soil, sustainable gardening, growing advice and composting. We are looking for local experts to get involved so get in touch. Compost workshop 7th June
Free outdoor education sessions for schools
Learn all about the wonders of soil at the Wild Cat Wilderness. These hour long sessions for junior school classes can be booked with three free sessions for each school available.
Take part in “Soiled”
Check your soil health by burying some calico for x4 weeks and participate in a collective community piece of art to be exhibited at the Summer Solstice Exhibition. We will provide the calico and instructions and then return the results back to us to form part of a communal art piece.
Clay sessions
Using natural clay you can make seed pods, seed bombs and soil critters (the microscopic organisms that live in the soil). The seed pods and soil critters will then be part of our Summer Solstice Exhibition.
Kim Norton a local ceramic designer who specialises in soil is running the seed pod clay sessions at our festival and on 17th May
Jo Pearl will be running the soil critters workshop on the 30th May. Jo is an activist artist who has been focused on making work about the biodiversity hidden in soil and Jo’s work was also part of the exhibition at Somerset House. Make seed bombs at our festival or open day.
Get involved in a communal project
Learn how to make a cob oven on the 24th May, make mini bee skeps woven out of bramble and covered in clay on the 14th May and 4th June. Both of these will form part of our exhibition.
When you come and visit the Wild Cat Wilderness leave your mark with a soil handprint to create a communal piece of art.
Grow a bee friendly plant or herb
Sow some seeds to have at home or plant at a local greenspace. We will provide the seeds and instructions.
Storytelling
Tales of soil with Alys Torrance a local storyteller. There will be an afternoon of storytelling on the 15th March entitled ‘Mother Earth’ with stories for young children, families and a session early evening for adults. Alys will also be part of our Soil Festival.
Paint a pebble with messages and pictures about soil
We will be running some sessions on site where you can decorate a pebble, which will then be hidden across Lewisham to collect on a chosen weekend. Your local group can also request some pebbles to do the artwork.
Lewisham open gardens day
Be part of a self guided trail across the borough of greenspaces with an open day and map in conjunction with Good Food Lewisham on the 19th April.
Family activities at the Wild Cat Wilderness
We will be running soil related activities at our monthly family forest school sessions, plus during the school holidays including Superworm activities, magic potions, mud art and more – look out for dates.
Soil Festival at the Wild Cat Wilderness 18th April 11-3
Superworm activities inc magic potions and clay faces on trees
Singing
Storytelling with Alys x3 sessions for families
Rock paining
Soil handprint artwork
Make seed pods from natural clay
Seed bombs and seed planting
Other things you can do – get in touch and we can help
Soil painting
Create some art pieces using soil as paint and exhibit them at our exhibition
Create a performance piece
Create a soil movement, dance or music piece to perform locally at our festival or exhibition.
Creative writing
Write some poetry or short story about soil and exhibit them at our exhibition.
Got an idea – then get in touch.
wcw@rgtb.org.uk – with the subject matter ‘Digging the Dirt’
