We're doing things a bit differently this Black Friday. From 27th November - 2nd December we’ll be donating £5 per order to Grow for Life, a charity that works to nurture those experiencing low confidence, anxiety, depression or isolation to be restored to live life to the full through the therapeutic act of gardening and growing food.
We speak to Eleanor to find out more about the charity, and how nature can positively impact mental health.
Tell us a bit about Grow for Life and what you do.
Grow for Life is a Bath-based charity, providing people experiencing anxiety, depression or isolation with the opportunity to garden together, learning and growing food in safe and supported environments. We have a walled garden in Newton St Loe where we run weekly sessions for adults and teenagers, growing food and learning about plants and composting. We also support a weekly group that goes out to help local residents who are struggling to manage their own gardens, and run a horticulture-based wellbeing course at Royal Victoria Park. My role is to meet and get to know new referrals, and get them settled into a program of our sessions. As people's confidence builds I'm then able to help them think about their next steps; whether that's returning to paid work, starting a course, or joining more independent volunteering roles or community groups.
What was the inspiration behind the creation of Grow for Life as a charity?
Grow for Life started in 2017, with the idea of using gardening together as a way to find a "family" for those who were lonely. Initially this took the form of supporting small groups to help individuals with their gardens. It's a great chance to give back as well as get gardening. We continue to provide this opportunity today, as well as running the weekly therapeutic sessions for adults and teenagers in our walled garden. Our team of staff and volunteers are all so passionate and joyful about the impact that gardening can have on wellbeing, as well as understanding the need to connect with others. Each session we hold we are all so inspired to support and connect with those referred to us, as well as sharing our enthusiasm for plants and nature!
Why does gardening and growing food have such a positive impact on our mental health and sense of wellbeing?
In so many ways!! On a very basic level, just being outdoors, in natural daylight - taking in the beauty of the nature around you, the sounds, the sights and the smells can have such a restorative impact. Being physically active is well documented to have a positive impact on mental health. Even from a very simple start of being tired at the end of the day and so able to sleep a bit better at night. Having the opportunity to nurture something living is also really important for a lot of our gardeners, as well as getting a sense of achievement from what you are able to grow. I like how it gives people something to talk about with each other in the groups, and also when they go home. They can talk about plants and the garden and what they've been doing, they haven't just been sat at home watching TV. I think growing food in particular has a real sense of purpose which is really helpful for improving mental health. We know we are working towards getting something beautiful and delicious to eat! This time of year especially there is a lot of positivity to be gained from planning and thinking about what is ahead and thinking about what to grow next, and looking for signs in the plants and the soil that things are already getting ready for next spring.
What has Grow for Life taught you about yourself?
Patience is a big one for me and I've learned that from my work with the plants and my work with the people. Sometimes you can be so excited by what you plan to grow with a group, but then the weather, or slugs, or caterpillars, will upend that plan. Learning patience, waiting for things to grow, trying things again a different way when they don't work out, not losing heart, it's all been a fantastic life lesson. And it's similar with people, I'm very confident that what we offer people can have an incredible, positive impact on their mental health, but people often come from a very difficult start. Even getting out of the house can be a challenge, let alone staying with a group for 2-3 hours, doing something physical like gardening. So it's about patience, and giving people the right support and opportunity to engage with us.
What advice do you have for those who may not have access to their own outdoor space?
Have a look for Community Gardens and growing projects in your area. There's more around that you think. These might be spaces within local parks, or communal areas that neighbourhoods have taken over and started cultivating. They can be great opportunities to garden with others and share in even small harvests of things like fresh herbs. If you can afford it, perhaps chipping in with a couple of friends, you could look at becoming an allotment plot holder. There are increasing options for this close to Bath. And of course there is always the joy you can get from growing plants in your home. Window sills or a shelf that gets some natural light are great for experimenting with growing herbs and micro-salads from seed, or growing something more exotic. There lots of advice (and sense of community) available on the internet about which plants cope well with the light and humidity conditions indoors.
Find out more about Grow for Life here.
