Sow & grow success
As The Sow & Grow At Home Challenge has come to an end, we look back on a fun filled 16 weeks full of education, creativity, exercise, health, well-being and friendship.
The project started with 11 participants who week by week were given a number of tasks and activities to complete and share with the rest of the group and their team leaders.
Week 1 saw all members given a starter pack of seeds, herbs and plants in order to grow their own show garden which they would showcase for the judges on week 12.
Throughout the weeks members were given learning materials and participated in a number of quizzes. They learned about plants, different types of soil, foods that were healthy for us, trees and the importance of changing the way we live to save the environment.
They also got very arty and creative by making bee hotels, drawing and painting pictures and making posters to give thanks to the NHS and to promote growing your own fruit and veg.
New skills were learned in regards to gardening and horticulture which saw them plan, tend to, maintain and water their very own veg patches and flower beds.
Lots of tasks were aimed at improving well-being from making kindness rocks, keeping a gratitude diary and simply having the opportunity to chat to people and make new friendships.
Health & Exercise was also on the agenda with many of the group taking up walking on a regular basis, learning dance routines and participating in virtual exercise classes which were provided via video chat.
With the project being run from home we had to set everybody up with the right technology and channels to be able to communicate with each other and with that, lots of multi media skills were gained from participating in zoom calls and phone calls and group messaging on WhatsApp.
When it was safe and abiding by social distance measures, we moved the sessions outdoors. The group did gardening, watering, weeding, digging and planting in the Kitchen Garden and Garden of Well-being. We also got the opportunity to paddle our way along the River Avon in a Bell boating activity day, which was thoroughly enjoyable.
So we give thanks to those who helped facilitate the Sow & Grow programme, the members who make it a success and to Groundwork for making it all possible.
