From Plot to Plate: Our Community Veg Growing Journey

This season, our Green Therapy groups embarked on a veg growing journey that involved sowing, growing, harvesting, learning, connection, wellbeing and the spirit of community gardening.

With raised beds built from sturdy wooden sleepers and recycled plastic mortar tubs repurposed as growing containers, we’ve transformed a modest patch of land into a thriving edible haven. Together with members of the local community, we’ve nurtured peas, beans, tomatoes, potatoes, beetroot, lettuce, and plenty more. As well as the vegetables we built a strawberry wall to grow tasty fruit and in large pots we grew herbs such as Rosemary, Thyme, Parsley, Sage and Mint.

Growing our own food strengthened our bond with nature and nurtured a shared sense of pride, purpose, and connection within our community. Together, we harvested fresh produce, explored the importance of a healthy diet, and exchanged cooking tips for every ingredient we picked, turning each session into a celebration of learning, wellbeing, and togetherness. We also donated vegetables to local individuals and groups, and set up a ‘help yourself’ stand at Stratford-upon-Avon Hospital, offering fresh, homegrown produce for anyone to take and enjoy.

A big thank you goes to the support of The Kind Communities – Kind Food Grant Fund from Warwickshire County Council and Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action (WCAVA). Their funding helped us get the tools, seeds, and resources we needed to make this project thrive. The Kind Food Grant backs local initiatives that improve access to nutritious food and bring people together and we’re proud to be part of that mission.