Bereavement Gardening at Communigrow

The environment

The Bereavement Recovery Group have taken over management of our Show Gardens - so they are directly responsible for inspiring and educating local people on low-carbon sustainable food growing practices in spaces customised to development in the local area. They are about to begin a project focusing specifically on balcony gardening and vertical growing which we think will be particularly useful both for our local audience but also people around the country, as we can show off the space and their developed techniques via social media

The local economy

It is hard to measure the economic impact of something like bereavement recovery but we hope that if nothing else challenging social isolation will lead to individuals becoming more economically productive.

Volunteering, jobs & education

We expect most or all of our Garden Gate members - and the members of subsequent groups - to go on to become full Communigrow volunteers (this has already happened with one individual). We estimate this will add at least 15 volunteers per year. Money from the crowdfunder has also enabled staff training - particularly for our apprentice Logan who is starting his therapeutic gardener taster training soon and is considering adopting this as a career path. Our counsellor for the Bereavement Group is a Communigrow volunteer who is now a paid employee.

Activity, health and leisure

Just getting out and about and taking part in light exercise represents a big change for many Garden Gate members.