Carley is cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise funds for Growing Forward.
Money donated through this sponsorship will help us to support people in Nottingham experiencing mental ill health and loneliness.
Gardening activities carried out in small groups is beneficial for physical and mental wellbeing. Health professionals now ‘prescribe’ these activities to their patients because social and therapeutic horticulture and one-to-one counselling delivered by trained professionals really can change lives.
Clients are referred to us via GPs, health professionals, Nottingham Recovery College, community gardens, Refugee Roots and other wellbeing organisations. However, we now need further funding to be able to continue our work.
How your donations will help
Money raised through this fundraiser will go towards…
Setting up a garden in Nottingham
As social and therapeutic horticulture is different from community gardening, we are looking to create a quieter, more private space that will be conducive to the therapeutic work. We have recently identified a potential new garden site of our own in an ideal location to continue to deliver one-to-one and small group sessions. The site is in need of significant clearance and setting up.
Delivering the service
We need funding to pay for the time spent delivering social and therapeutic horticulture sessions and one-to-one counselling by trained practitioners.
Working collaboratively with our clients we identify their aims and consider how we can achieve those aims through activities in the garden. Their objectives may be to build confidence and self-worth, make decisions, feel a sense of achievement, feel more socially integrated, improve physical fitness, prepare for work etc.
Purchasing recycled bikes from Bikeworks
Purchase of bikes from Nottingham Bikeworks so that clients are able to independently travel to the garden.
Bikeworks CIC recycles bikes, shares knowledge and community support and promotes cycling as a healthy, sustainable and affordable way to travel. They believe in everyone having access to cycling and being able to learn the skills to look after their own bikes.
Help cheer Carley along!
Carley is setting off on her journey on 14th September. Please send your words of encouragement and keep track of her progress and fundraiser on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Thank you so much for your support. Please send any donations to us via our Just Giving page here.