“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.” – Alfred Austin

This green hub, set within beautiful Lancashire woodland, is a magical space to enable people to be part of a community accessing the healing nature of earth and connection of being. 
Our small gardening and permaculture woodland regeneration project, promoting the wellbeing of people and land, is a myriad of sharing and learning around green issues be it gardening, wildlife, foraging, wild edible food and growing food with a focus on biodiversity and permaculture. 
Our aim is to provide a therapeutic garden and woodland plant-dominated environment purposefully designed to facilitate interaction with the healing elements of nature.

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What do we do?
Using growing tasks in the vegetable garden, flower beds and woodland itself we aim to build a set of activities for each member to improve their particular needs and to work on any goals they may want to achieve.  Some benefits of a sustained and active interest in gardening include:

Better physical health through exercise 
Improved mental health with a sense of purpose and achievement
Reducing stress and anxiety, improving mood
Opportunities to connect with others reducing feelings of isolation and exclusion 
Acquiring new skills, building confidence and improved self esteem 
Feeling energised for being in touch with nature and the great outdoor
Developing mindful states and  successful coping strategies in stressful times

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Working on regeneration within the Sydbrook Heritage Site we aim to replant more trees, encourage local wildlife and improve the water quality of Syd Brook which runs through the land. We have a thriving polytunnel, raised beds for growing food, flowers and a herb garden whilst the natural flora and fauna of the woodland area is carefully cherished..
We believe that the health and wellbeing of individuals, communities and the environment are innately linked. Sustainability being at the heart of what we want to achieve. 

Community gardening is a wonderfully flexible and valuable therapeutic tool that can transform lives and help to improve physical and mental wellbeing as well as promoting and providing the space for social interaction and communication.  Not to mention so much fun - and the joy of eating the spoils!

Who Are We?​​

Who are We? Founding members.
We are both early retired professionals with an interest in people, nature, gardening and biodiversity. Andrea is a retired high school teacher who now works with healing through a variety of mediums and platforms. Shirley-Ann is a retired mental health social worker with a strong interest, and vast experience, in horticulture and its therapeutic benefits.

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team@followingthejoy.com