Space to Grow: Helping people flourish through nature
In a quiet corner of the Tree Canopy project in Walton-on-Thames, something powerful is happening. We caught up with Pam Winstanley-Fisher, our Community Grower, to find out more about Walton Charity’s green wellbeing initiative, Space to Grow, and the ways it’s helping local people slow down, reconnect with nature, and find calm.
The garden welcomes a wide mix of participants, from mental health groups to local charities, schools, and colleges. People are from all walks of life, but are finding a common purpose in this beautiful outdoor space.
“People feel safe here. So many of our gardeners have grown in confidence.”
The flexibility of the project means that while sessions are structured, there is room for people to make their own choices and follow their own pace. Pam explains how “people can choose what they want to do here, so they have the independence as well”.
When asked what a typical day at Space to Grow looks like, Pam made it clear that “there is no typical day”, although each sessions follows the same kind of routine. “I prepare the site in the morning, and then lead the group through activities. Once they go home, I follow up by sending them any skills or information we learnt”. The sense of purpose and peacefulness is a major benefit of this project.
For Pam, one example stands out: “one lady walked back and forth to the gate four times before coming in on her first session”. Now, she comes regularly, showing how much her confidence has grown.
Pam is passionate about the power of nature to heal, and to teach us things about ourselves. Nature and our mental and physical wellbeing are intertwined, and for Pam, the “link is clear and undeniable. It has been proven how important nature is for our wellbeing and I fully believe this”.
Even on cold or wet days, the community garden is up and running. Pam jokes that “in gardening its all about being prepared - there’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong choice of clothes!”.
The lessons we all can learn from Space to Grow are particularly relevant in our modern world: “nature reminds us in life that things can fail, things can go wrong or don’t work out and that’s okay - it’s about accepting this and trying again. It’s about planting another seed and knowing at least the snail had a nice dinner!”.
“Nature reminds us in life that things can fail, things can go wrong, or don’t work out, and that’s okay.”
In an age of instant gratification, gardening becomes a powerful antidote, because “you don’t get instant results when you plant something, you have to have patience, you have to care. You need to check on it, water it and look after it. But the reward of that first shoot, first leaf, or first fruit never fails to delight!”.
The social aspect of our community growing project is just as important as the physical work. Space to Grow creates a space for conversation, shared experience, and moments of laughter.
Walton Charity has a variety of green spaces, and we are proud to provide opportunities to the local people to benefit from being outside. Space to Grow sits within our Tree Canopy site, which houses Rewilding Forest School, Guided Wellbeing, and the Elmbridge Tree Wardens, all of which involve the community in green initiatives. We also host a community allotment project twice a week which provides a space for anyone interested in gardening, particularly those with mental or physical conditions.
Pam reflects on working with Walton Charity, and says it’s “been fantastic and very rewarding! I’ve been a gardener for a while now working in a number of different role. Taking on this Walton Charity project, developing and growing it into a space to support adults and children using green therapy was the best career decision… and who wouldn’t want a ‘green’ office!”.
Staff and trustees at Walton Charity always tell Pam that Space to Grow has “exceeded expectations”. The site has burst into life and the transformation has been incredible. But it’s the impact on those that have been coming along that is the most impressive.
Pam has a wealth of experience in working outdoors, and she shares how she’s “always loved working outside. I worked in education as a Curriculum Gardener for a few years with primary age children. I began supporting some small intervention groups there using green therapy which was incredibly impactful. With ‘Space to Grow’ I get to work across many different age groups to support both physical and mental wellbeing”, and this opportunity has given Pam the room to create something really special.
Space to Grow is all about community, health and wellbeing, and biodiversity. We want to create a safe place for people to come together and build relationships with nature and each other. It’s a place to create a foundation for healthier people, as well as a healthier ecology and biodiversity. Space to Grow is a place to share, to love, to connect, and to learn how to grow.
“Space to Grow is a place to share, to love, to connect, and to learn how to grow.”
If you’d like to find out more about Space to Grow, please click here.
Article by Amy Dixon, Walton Charity’s Policy and Communications Officer