29/08/2025
✨🌿 🌺🐨Koala Tree Turns 5! 🐨🌺🌿✨
Five years ago, in the middle of a world turned upside down, I took a leap of faith. Schools had shut their doors to outside agencies, and with fear (and hope in equal measure), I stepped away from my role in schools and began the search for a therapy home of my own.
I looked at lots of spaces, but none quite fit—thin walls, too small, no sink or toilet facilities. Then, through a twist of fate, my husband’s friend Ben called me and said: “I’ve found your therapy room!” He had heard about the community land trust project at the Old School in Queen Camel.
I went the very next day. It was perfect.
At first, the room I dreamed of wasn’t available, so I started in a bigger space—warm and welcoming, but fully carpeted. Six months later, I moved into my current room: equally spacious, but with a proper art area and washable flooring that has become such an important part of the children’s creative expression. With the help of my family, a new website, and a freshly painted playroom, I welcomed my first clients. By the end of the very first month, I was covering my rent—and from there, things grew month by month.
There have been storms along the way—literally. In May 2023, the Old School was devastated by flooding. It felt like the whole project might be lost. But the volunteers who came to help were nothing short of awe-inspiring. Within a week, I was back in an empty playroom, reminding myself that I am the most important tool in the playroom. And it was just fine.
That same week, I also received the incredible news that I had been awarded the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence, achieving the highest grade at master’s level across two exam boards. For someone who left school at 15 as a dyslexic school drop-out… it was a rainbow after the rain, and I was left in awe.
Since then, the playroom has transformed and evolved into the beautiful space it is today. Over these 5 years, so many children and families have come through the doors of Koala Tree. I feel blessed every single day to not only have this space, but to be able to do the work that fills my heart ❤️.
This past year has brought challenges, especially with the changes to ASF funding, but once again we’ve weathered the storm—and I stand here stronger than ever.
Here’s to 5 years of Koala Tree 🌿, to every child who has played, laughed, cried, and healed here, and to all the families who have trusted me with their most precious treasures. Thank you for being part of this journey. 💚
— Lily🌺🐨
