Growing for Wellbeing, free course coming to Leiston
With the weather warming up, community and environment charity Groundwork East have teamed up with The Live Well Hub in Leiston and Leiston cum Sizewell Town Council to encourage residents to explore the health benefits of getting in touch with nature by bringing free gardening sessions to the town.
The programme, Growing for Wellbeing, which has been funded through Suffolk County Council’s Public Health and Communities ‘Your Needs Met’ initiative, will offer horticulture, nature and wellbeing focused activities in Memorial Garden (Waterloo Centre, Leiston ) to support the mental and physical health of local residents. Activities will include gardening, foraging walks and making biodiversity improvements.
There will be 16 sessions which will take place from Friday 14th March to Friday 3rd October from 10am-2pm. Equipment will be provided; however participants will need to bring appropriate footwear and clothing for the outdoors. Participants do not have to commit to all of the sessions, simply sign up to the dates that suit your schedule.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) supports the idea that gardening improves physical and mental health . Its research suggests there are multiple benefits to having green fingers, such as spending time outdoors with others, reducing feelings of stress and anxiety and increasing physical activity which lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke. These findings are backed by the NHS through social prescribing in its Long Term Plan.
Growing for Wellbeing is a great opportunity for individuals to connect with nature on their doorstep and learn new skills along the way. We aim to facilitate a friendly and inclusive atmosphere where local residents can focus on their wellbeing whilst improving a valuable local green space
Andy Johnson, Project Officer, Groundwork East
We are delighted to offer one of the Town Council’s assets, the Memorial Garden, to this exciting community project. Gardening has proven benefits for mental and physical health, and we are proud to support an initiative that will bring people together, promote wellbeing, and enhance our local environment. We look forward to seeing the Memorial Garden flourish as a space for connection, learning, and growth
Leiston-cum-Sizewell Town Council representative