Image courtesy of MindSpace Stamford
To celebrate our 170th birthday, we created the Grow Your Garden Grant – a £250 voucher to support a UK charity, community group, school or gardening club with their growing goals. This year’s winner, MindSpace Stamford, used the grant to support their Wellbeing Garden – a peaceful space where gardening helps nurture community connection and mental wellbeing.
Celebrating 170 years by supporting community wellbeing
Images courtesy of MindSpace Stamford
To celebrate our 170th year, we offered a £250 Grow Your Garden Grant to support a school, charity, club or community group making a difference through gardening.
The grant was awarded to MindSpace Stamford – a Lincolnshire-based charity working to improve mental wellbeing through a wide variety of free, community-led activities. Alongside creative workshops, peer support, and wellbeing sessions, one of their key community spaces is their Wellbeing Garden, where they use horticulture to bring people together, support emotional health, and create opportunities for learning and connection.
From waste ground to wellbeing garden
Since 2019, MindSpace has been transforming a former derelict plot in Stamford into a thriving Wellbeing Garden – a peaceful, inclusive space where locals of all ages come together to grow food, build friendships, and support their emotional wellbeing.
How the grant was used
Image courtesy of MindSpace Stamford
Thanks to the Grow Your Garden Grant, the charity has been able to:
- Add pollinator-friendly flowers and seasonal colour to diversify planting
- Support hands-on growing experiences, helping locals grow their own produce
- Continue running weekly gardening sessions, free for all and led by trained volunteers
Local voices: what it means to the community
Images courtesy of MindSpace Stamford
“The grant has been wonderful, allowing us to buy lots of plants, seeds and vegetables which our community can benefit from,” says Garden Lead Kay Harrington.
“We have people of all ages enjoying their new growing spaces. The bulbs and seeds we’ve planted will add even more colour next year. This kind of support really helps us maintain the garden – a place where people can learn, connect, and find peace in nature.”
The power of community gardening
Image courtesy of MindSpace Stamford
Thompson & Morgan Nursery Manager Kris Collins shared that MindSpace Stamford is a wonderful example of how gardening and green space can nurture health, hope, and connection – perfectly aligning with the aims of the Grow Your Garden Grant.
“Gardening can be truly transformative – and this project shows just how impactful it can be when placed in the hands of the community.”
With a packed calendar of free activities now underway in the garden and beyond, MindSpace continues to nurture not just plants – but people, too. If you’d like to get involved, visit MindSpace Stamford to find out how you can join in, volunteer, or simply explore what they do.
Support your garden group
We’re thrilled to have supported such a meaningful project – and we hope the Wellbeing Garden continues to thrive for years to come!
Gardening brings a host of benefits – from boosting mood to relieving stress. Read our article to discover four ways gardening can improve health and wellbeing. If you’re part of a gardening club, allotment group or horticultural society and looking to save on seeds and plants, the Thompson & Morgan Group Scheme offers 50% off seeds and 20% off live plants – with direct delivery and minimal admin.
The Thompson & Morgan horticultural team produces a wealth of content around gardening and food production. Since the first seed catalogue was published in 1855, Thompson & Morgan has grown to become one of the UK’s largest Mail Order Seed and Plant companies. Through the publication of our catalogues and the operation of our award-winning website, Thompson & Morgan is able to provide home gardeners with the very best quality products money can buy.