Thanks from Clare 27/09/21

Done it !! Massive thanks to all for your support and well wishes. It's made it all possible. Growing forward will move into the coming year feeling the positivity of all of your encouragement. We will keep you posted on how your support helps us to deliver the project, watch this space! Love and gratitude. Clare and Growing Forward team xxx

Update 26/09/21

Clare did it!! She cycled 1020 miles from Land's End to John o'Groats in 11.5 days. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated, shared our fundraiser and sent wonderful messages of support and encouragement. We appreciate it very much!

Please see our website , Facebook and Instagram for lots of photos and updates.

This fundraiser will be open a little while longer so if you didn't get a chance to donate whilst Clare was pedalling you're not too late. Thank you!

Here's why Clare took on this epic challenge...

For people experiencing mental ill health and loneliness, gardening activities in small groups and a safe environment, along with one-to-one counselling can be life changing.

Please sponsor Clare’s epic bike ride from Land's End to John o' Groats to help us to continue to provide this support to people Nottingham.

Clients are referred to us via GPs and health professionals, community gardens and other wellbeing organisations. However, without funding we cannot continue our work.

Money donated through this sponsorship will make a big difference. It will go towards:

> setting up a dedicated and specialised garden

> time spent delivering therapeutic sessions by trained practitioners

> purchase of recycled bikes from Nottingham Bikeworks, so that clients are able to independently travel to the garden.

Thank you for taking the time to read our information. Any donation will be hugely appreciated and a big help.

Please find out more on our blog and below...

About Growing Forward

Growing Forward CIC is a social and therapeutic horticulture (STH) project, founded in 2019 in Nottingham. With initial limited funding the Growing Forward team offered group sessions and one-to-one counselling in community gardens. We continued to provide remote and socially distanced support through the COVID-19 lockdowns. When the gardens were closed, we offered one-to-one walks in parks and nature settings.

Post pandemic our work is needed more than ever but funding is scarce.

We work closely with local health professionals, Nottingham Recovery College, Windmill and Summerwood Community Gardens, Refugee Roots, Bikeworks and other local wellbeing organisations.

STH provides an abundance of opportunities and activities to improve physical and mental wellbeing. To name a few it can help to alleviate anxiety and depression, improve fitness and recovery, build confidence and hope for the future. The STH garden is an ideal environment for learning and applying vocational skills which can be transferred to employment, volunteering etc.