Want to get out into nature and learn about growing food and gardening? Get active and improve your fitness and stamina? Build your confidence? Get to know new people and do cool things together in nature?
Growing Ability offers social therapeutic horticulture sessions for people with cognitive differences, at our beautiful growing plots and community garden in Hitchin. We offer a supportive, safe and inclusive environment where you can connect with others, grow as a person, learn new skills and enjoy being part of something positive!
Here’s a short film about Growing Ability called “Come and Try!”
If you, or someone you know, would like to join us at Growing Ability as a ‘gardener’, please contact our Project Manager Hayley Lanfear via [email protected] or call her on 07887 725962
At Growing Ability we work together to grow fruit and vegetables in our beautiful growing spaces, often making what we grow into delicious healthy food. As well as helping to look after the Triangle Community Garden, we also go on active nature walks around our local park and support each other in living healthier, more fulfilled lives.
If you join Growing Ability as a ‘gardener’ you’ll be taking part in meaningful activities and skills training in horticulture, nature conservation, healthy living, cooking and food preparation, nature-based art and crafts and woodwork, all supported by caring, encouraging staff and volunteers.
Everyone at Growing Ability is involved in making plans for what we do at the project, from small decisions like how long we will walk each day, to big ideas like getting a polytunnel and deciding what to grow in it. Our regular reviews with gardeners, staff and volunteers help to inform how our organisation develops.
At Growing Ability it’s a lot more than gardening. As well as learning new skills, we like to have fun – we celebrate birthdays, we enjoy doing art, we explore new taste experiences, we go on visits to places like Cambridge Botanical Gardens and we help run community events like Hitchin Apple Day and our big Summer Fete. Each session is run by two staff members and assisted by one or more support volunteers.
If you, or someone you know, would like to join us at Growing Ability as a ‘gardener’, please contact our Project Manager Hayley Lanfear via [email protected] or call her on 07887 725962
If you’d like to find out about joining as a support volunteer please click here
What people say about Growing Ability:
‘The main thing about being here is you’ve got people you can talk to. Doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, you’ve always got someone you can connect with. I find the staff are really really good, and the volunteers. They make me feel that I belong here … I really enjoy coming here and look forward to it.’
‘Growing Ability is now an integral part of my son’s life. It provides twice weekly support for him, it’s a group that he’s comfortable with and a place where he can share his ideas and interests and know that he is accepted and listened to. I know that he looks forward to attending each session, and misses those sessions greatly [when] unable to attend. The staff support and encourage him in every possible way and I firmly believe that he gains immeasurably from this, mentally, emotionally and physically’ a parent
‘I like coming to Growing Ability because it’s an escape from being stuck at home all the time and it’s great exercise, hanging out with people, and [we] get to see everything we grow from seed to harvest, which is fantastic!”
‘I’d definitely recommend Growing Ability because it really helps with mindfulness and friendship…’
