Case study - Growing Well in Kendal

another case study...... Growing Well in Kendal has focus on therapeutic horticulture and runs a thriving local box scheme with over 100 members

Growing Well
Low Sizergh Farm, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 8AE

About Us

Growing Well provides local people with mental health problems with an effective, supportive and inclusive farm-based community. We support people to improve their mental wellbeing by involving them in a range of activities within our organic growing business.


Our participants organically farm 6 acres of Low Sizergh Farm running a Crop Share scheme that supplies 80 local families with weekly seasonal veg. We are a City and Guilds centre and train our participants and local people in horticulture at levels one, two and three. We also run a successful programme of school workshops and farm visits that teach children about food growing and how to stay mentally and physically well. We work cooperatively, encouraging our participants to take on a range of responsibilities within the organisation, including membership of our board of directors.

The following link shows a three minute film which shows the impact for one our participants of their involvement in our activities.

Growing Well is CEVAS accredited for managing people on farms and is a City and Guilds centre for learning. We were named British Rural Enterprise of Year in 2011, won the North-West Award for Sustainable Food and Farming in 2008, were awarded Cumbrian Social Enterprise in 2008, 2009/2010 and were the North-West winner in the 2010 Social Vision Awards.

Our work in mental health recovery is supported by a grant from Ecominds, and our education and outreach work is supported by a grant from Local Food, both which administer funds from the Big Lottery.Our Ethos

Our volunteers, students, staff and visitors find Growing Well to be a special and inspiring place and certain aspects of the way we work make Growing Well unique.


Our staff are passionate and enthusiastic and create an environment which is welcoming and accessible. We operate as flexibly as possible and ensure that everyone that is involved with Growing Well is treated equally.

We aim to involve our volunteers in all the activities we undertake, and through supervisions and team meetings ensure everyone is appropriately involved in decision making. We also actively encourage our volunteers to become members of Growing Well, to attend Annual General Meetings and to nominate themselves as directors.Our Legal Structure And Charitable Status

Growing Well is an Industrial and Provident Society (IPS) for the Benefit of the Community (registration number 29680R). As such we are a corporate entity, with limited liabilities for our members, regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

The rules of our society strictly determine how we must operate, ensuring our assets are held for the good of the community in perpetuity. Our objects are charitable and we are recognised as a tax exempt charity by the Inland Revenue (number XR76204).

The IPS legal structure was chosen deliberately by our founding directors so that membership and control of Growing Well could be offered to local community members (particularly our volunteers). As at the close of 2010, we have 120 members.Horticulture Team

Our Horticulture Team manages our organic growing business, undertaking all the tasks across our ten-acre site. There is always a variety of jobs to be done, no matter what time of year it is, and each day our volunteers divide up into small teams and set to work.


We tackle everything from seed-sowing and planting, to harvesting and packing produce, and new volunteers quickly learn how to do tasks with the support of fellow participants. We provide regular training, both formally and informally, to make sure the team knows how to work, and experienced team members will provide supervision on more complex tasks such as packing orders or using farm machinery. Our tractor driving courses are always over subscribed and some team members become expert at harrowing beds or using planting machinery.

Working in the fields can provide a great sense of accomplishment and wellbeing, seeing the the plants you've grown become food for seventy households. Education Team

Providing support to school visits at Growing Well can be an enjoyable way to get used to meeting people and building up your confidence to take on new challenges.


Our Education Team accompanies school visits around the farm, helping children to explore the food growing and farming activities we have to offer. For those with an aptitude or interest in working with children this can be a very rewarding introduction to work.

All our educational visits are led by trained facilitators and supported by our volunteers. The team receives on going support and training and ideally will have some experience working within our horticultural activities.Farm Visits

Schools love a day out at Growing Well and Low Sizergh Farm learning about food and farming and healthy eating.


At Growing Well children can sow seeds and pick organic vegetables, learning how the food they eat is grown, picked and reaches their plate.

This can be combined with a visit to the diary farm meeting the calves and collecting the eggs from the hen houses. Our hands on activities are always enjoyed by pupils, teachers and parents!Workshops

Our Food Education team can come into your school or community group to provide fun and stimulating Food Workshops.


Workshops can be adapted to suit your school topic and the age group of pupils from Nursery to Key Stage Four.

Activities can include; farming and the landscape, origins of food (local and global), food miles, food groups, healthy eating & balanced diet, food choices, organic food, food tasting (fresh and processe).We can also create a specialist workshop to meet a particular topic area or interest.Community Outreach

If you are looking to inspire your class or community group in food growing, our team can bring Growing Well to you.


Help with raised beds, preparing a vegetable garden or a basic taster session can all be provided, and our experienced faciltiators will always do their best to create a day that meets your group's requirements.

If you are holding a community or educational event our team can also bring their stand to you, to offer seed sowing activities, growing information and food games.

find out more about this fab project at http://www.growingwell.co.uk/