It's National Growing for Wellbeing Week!

Horticulture therapy and community gardening groups have become much more recognised for their wellbeing benefits recently. Some of the reasons for getting involved in Social and Therapeutic Horticulture can be physical healing and general health; stress relief and mental health benefits; meaningful occupation particularly for those with addiction issues; building positive networks and wider community involvement; learning new life and work skills.

I talked to some of our Community Garden group members and asked them about the benefits they get from being involved.

Kim mentioned all the positive sensory aspects of the garden and the mental health benefits she notices: "I thoroughly enjoy coming to the allotment with all the beautiful bright colours and the most amazing smells emanating from the majority of the plants. Also hearing nature... It's so good to get out and do your own thing. But just to enjoy the different areas, it makes your worries disappear. You forget you're living in a city. A fantastic cure for your mental health."

Nigel mentioned how he feels that he has developed personally in respect to a wider world: "It makes you think about all the different aspects of life - centipedes, snails, bees."

Ruth "You mean that you have connected to the wider environment then?"

Nigel "Yes. I think I have improved as a human being in that respect."

Luke likes the physical aspects of being involved at the gardens: "It gets me out of the house. Makes me happy, being able to do the work, to be able to keep on top of things."

There are so many ways that just getting outside into nature can support your wellbeing.

If you want to know more about Social and Therapeutic Horticulture practice and training I would recommend checking out the Thrive website https://www.thrive.org.uk/

And get in touch with me and our community group to find out more about what we do in Cambridge and how you could get involved - ruth@cambridgecyrenians.org.uk