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Gathering in the Grove – Our first community picnic

by | Dec 9, 2025 | PAST EVENTS | 0 comments

A table of different picnic food is in a circular overlay against a background of purple and green bunting fluttering between birch trees.

On Sunday, 9 November, we held our first ever community picnic in the birch grove behind Tender Funerals Canberra Region with almost 50 people attending.

We invited our community to bring a picnic blanket and food to share that was special to the people being remembered – so much food!

An orange plastic container holds coffee and nut slice with a label 'Aunty Glad's Coffee Slice, an Old Family Favourite'

Hit ‘n’ Miss African Drumming group created a mellow but humming vibe as everyone arrived. The bunting, made by our volunteers from donated fitted sheets in the weeks prior, really livened up the space.      A group of women in black shirts sit in a row on a grassy slope playing African drums.

For those who were feeling creative, our art project, facilitated by Su Hanfling from Wagtail Workshop was the perfect opportunity for some reflective art and craft.

Hand decorated postcards, some by children, are scattered on a table.  Colourful art supplies including paints, papers, enveloped, brushed and more are in baskets and tubs on a table

Many people contributed to our Kindness Exchange, an opportunity to leave a message of care and support for a stranger and perhaps take one yourself. Some people wrote or decorated postcards with a message to the person they were remembering.

A translucent envelope is pinned to a string hanging from a tree. Inside the envelope is a message that reads 'Some days will be harder than others and that's perfectly natural'

We held a small ceremony of remembrance with local duo Paul and Kate from Poetry In Motion providing beautiful music throughout. Those who wished to, sent their postcards to their person into the fire.

A man and a woman with guitars sing in front of a decorative screen and behind a fire pit. A wide shot of people sitting around a circle of lawn listening to a speaker at a microphone

It was a lovely, peaceful way to enjoy some daylight saving. Thank you to everyone who attended and then took the time to share how meaningful the experience had been. It was a true community collaboration.