New Community Hub

Growing Lives is based in a market garden and green space at the De Frene site. The project runs weekly social, therapeutic and vocational horticultural sessions, along with offering the chance to achieve Open College Network accreditation.

It enables co-workers (the name we give our beneficiaries) suffering from mental distress to: Improve their mental, physical health, and general wellbeing, Learn new horticultural and transferable skills, to gain qualifications, and to improve their employability, self-confidence, and self-esteem, Learn food growing and experience healthy eating and improved diet, and increase their social inclusion in the communities they live in.

Growing Lives manages the De Frene site in an environmentally friendly way which enhances wildlife and biodiversity, as well as improving the general amenity of the neighbourhood, offering access to the local public, workshops and events. The Community Hub project is a vital project that will support the wider work.