We do mental health differently!

Our mission: Grow Mental Health Recovery! We are changing the lives of people experiencing mental health problems through Recovery based social and therapeutic gardening. We grow seasonal veg using permaculture methods and maintain community spaces for others to enjoy. Nature connection and community engagement are intrinsic elements of our work.

Providing Therapeutic Gardening Groups

Every week throughout the year across Somerset we run our social and therapeutic gardening groups for people experiencing mental health problems. We know that both our physical and mental health is improved through the intrinsic elements of gardening – being outdoors and connecting with nature, nurturing living plants and environments, gentle exercise, increased levels of natural sunlight, working together with others and above all HOPE! Our groups are open to all and free to attend.

Growing Recovery

We nurture and grow mental health recovery for people in our community. We know that Recovery – meaning living a satisfying, hopeful and contributing life even with mental health problems – is possible! Recovery grows from a choice and is supported by people. At our groups, after lunch, we have a Recovery session which allows us time, space, knowledge and strategies to learn and heal. We explore ideas and psychoeducational concepts around Recovery, share experiences and provide each other with mutual support.

Changing Society

We are contributing to a change in the way in which people experience mental health services by shifting the societal attitude from believing that people are ‘suffering from mental illness’ to understand that experiencing mental distress, unusual experiences and problematic behaviour is more a result of adverse childhood experiences and trauma. We know that everyone has a story.

Changing Lives

We measure the changes that we help people to make using a research-based measuring scale (Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale). At any one time, we have just over 30 people on their Recovery journey with us. Our data shows that on average people’s mental wellbeing improves measurably. Don’t just take our word for it though-

“Seed of Hope has helped me find friendship”

“I found my confidence and have more appreciation for the outdoors”

“Seed of Hope gives life purpose”

Changing and Improving Communities

We work exclusively on community-based and owned sites. Improving the visual and grown environment for local people. We improve green spaces that would otherwise be overgrown and attract anti-social behaviour. We make it so that communities can enjoy their green spaces, and use them to connect with nature and improve their health and wellbeing. We also contribute surplus produce to local food distribution projects for those living in food poverty.

Supporting the Environment

We garden using Permaculture principles reducing our carbon usage, reducing waste, improving soils and the local environment. We aim to improve the availability of fresh chemical-free produce to our participants and the communities they live in, reducing food poverty and improving health.

Read our 2023 Annual Report

What our participants say

"Seed of Hope gave me a new perspective on my mental well being and how I can use different techniques and small changes to make my life better and enjoy the things I do."

"Seed of hope is life changing. I spent years going through the system, trying all the courses the NHS provided and all it did was further ingrain myself in my traumas. Seed of hope was a breath of fresh air where I actually got to work on myself by being surrounded by people with similar experiences working as a team towards something greater. No-one ever told me I could live a fulfilling life with mental health problems, just that 'maybe it would get better'. I now have routine, friends, family in my life and feel fulfilled, as if my life now has meaning"

"Fun and supportive, not just the people running the groups that are helpful and supportive but members from all the other groups are aswell"

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