Case studies - our members in action

From Derry to Dartford, Shetland to Swansea our members are reconnecting individuals with society and society with our planet.

These case studies from our members and projects across the UK:

  • Celebrate the breadth, variety and impact of our incredible members, showcasing their work and the benefits they deliver.
  • Shine a spotlight on the amazing work of all the volunteers, staff and trustees that make up our member organisations
  • Highlight the inspiring initiatives they have put in place to increase sustainability, biodiversity and the wellbeing of people and communities.

Through hard work, passion and vision our members develop their farm and garden sites in so many varied ways to make big differences in people's lives.

We are proud to help make this great work happen by offering expertise honed by 40 years in existence - producing information resources that get to the heart of problems our members encounter along the way, running events and training that help people find the best way of doing things and ensuring that our members great work is promoted to decision makers across the UK.

We've identified twelve broad themes for the benefits that our members deliver - you can search for case studies that illustrate each of these using the buttons below or simply browse and read something that catches your interest.

So read on and get inspired! We're sure you'll agree our members are 'Growing well together'.

Clynfyw Care Farm in Pembrokeshire set up a Community Benefit Society for the long-term future of the farm and the enterprises that depend on it.  A series of case studies exploring access to land for sustainable farming in Wales.
 

A Community partnership took a 25-year lease on council land via a Community Asset Transfer, empowering the local community to make use of unused land. A series of case studies exploring access to land for sustainable farming in Wales.

 

Maesgwyn Isaf Farm was donated to the Ecological Land Cooperative (ELC) and is now in community ownership for new entrants to farming and for the local community. A series of case studies exploring access to land for sustainable farming in Wales.

 

Carmarthenshire Food Network and Bwyd Sir Gâr Food are reconnecting more people in Carmarthenshire with the land and environment around them. A series of case studies exploring access to land for sustainable farming in Wales.

Find out what Blaenau Gwent Council is doing to support community food growing and land-based environmental projects. A series of case studies exploring access to land for sustainable farming in Wales.

A Swansea hospital set up a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm on its land with a local grower - the first of its kind in the UK. A series of case studies exploring access to land for sustainable farming in Wales.

Welcoming children from cities and disadvantaged communities into the heart of the British Countryside.

The Growing Project is a unique and creative inter-organisational relationship offering therapeutic community growing experiences that bring together different people, supporting them in difficult times to grow, learn and work together.

The Oasis Community Gardens is now a beautiful location in the heart of a disadvantaged housing estate. Many projects are working together on the site which also includes Community Centre with activities and projects for all ages.

The Oasis Community Gardens is now a beautiful location in the heart of a disadvantaged housing estate. Many projects are working together on the site which also includes Community Centre with activities and projects for all ages.

A 4.5 acre former mill site, now a community garden and wider biopark, this project is a great example of growing community and environmental help by using permaculture practices and building good relationships with local council.

Castlecaufield Horticultural Society are more well known for hosting their popular annual horticultural show, running the walled garden, and their lively street planting which makes the village such a lovely place to visit. In recent weeks (March 2020) regular activities have been put on hold, but this doesn’t mean the group have been taking it easy, quite the opposite…

The Stormont Estate Workplace Allotment project was developed as a pilot project. It is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland 

Grow was established by a small group of local residents from North Belfast in October 2008.  Their motivation initially was to create a space for people to connect through growing, particularly targeting those who were experiencing mental ill-health.  It quickly became clear however that there was interest and a need within the wider community for safe spaces to connect, not just those with mental ill-health. 

Alley Garden in West Belfast - the West Belfast Partnership Board opened the newly greened alleyway behind La Salle Gardens off the Falls Road. The West Belfast Partnership Board (WBPB) teamed up with Springvale Learning to transform the alleyway behind La Salle Gardens adjacent to Willowbank walkway, from a ‘dead space’ into a residential friendly, green area.

Blossoms at Larne Lough specialises in using Nature-based Therapy to increase health & wellbeing and decrease stress. It is run from a purpose-built therapy garden on the shore of Larne Lough.

Common Ground N.I. has the mission of connecting individuals, groups and communities with nature for the benefit of humanity and for reciprocal benefits to nature.

PLOT 22 is an award-winning, volunteer-driven community allotment working with isolated groups, strengthening community connections through gardening, food growing and cooking shared meals at our centrally located community allotment.

Feel Good Gardens values local food and community, getting outdoors, enjoying the seasons, understanding more about nature, and welcoming everybody to site regardless of age, gender, race or disability.

Glenfinart Walled Garden is community owned and run by volunteers, many of whom have health issues.

Badgers Brook Allotment is in Brackla, Bridgend. It is a 40 plot site with ten disabled plots, three of which are used by organisations that support disabled people. Regenerated by the community and brought back from dereliction.

Beyond The Wall provides horticultural and hospitality training and work experience within a beautiful Victorian walled garden near Eye, Suffolk. Clients with learning and/or other extra needs learn life skills, form friendships and develop new hobbies and interests such as photography or bird-watching.

Old bathtubs have been reused on allotments for years but this project entails building a raised wooden surround for the bathtub - transforming it into a contained growing space at a height that is easily accessible for children, the elderly or disabled.

Chyan Community Field, an organic forest farm with community access, has been running since 2002. In that time, the group have transformed a disused, over-grown 2.2 acre Cornish field into a shining example of vegan organic growing, wildlife gardening, sustainable energy production and community involvement.

Kentish Town City Farm (KTCF) was the first City Farm in the UK. Founded in 1972, this four-acre project has livestock and horses, a riding school, gardening space, a wildlife area, orchard and a focus for education and community work with thousands of users.

Based in the heart of the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Woodland Skills Centre team run a range of courses in traditional crafts, bushcraft courses, family holidays and courses for youth and community groups as well as Mindfulness courses as part of our health and well-being programme.

A forgotten and derelict space on North Street in Bedminster has been turned into a community 'pocket park'.

Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses (BCPG) is an independent environmental charity operating from a former municipal greenhouse site in the centre of Lambeth’s Brockwell Park. The site is now a vibrant community garden comprising a series of demonstration gardens and includes two commercial-sized greenhouses.

Starting from scratch in June 2018, Winchburgh is now a fresh food destination. Winchburgh Community Growing Group are growing food for the whole community all over the village – and they don’t even have a site yet!

REAP, which stands for Rural Environmental Action Project, works in the North East of Scotland to raise environmental awareness, tackle economic inequality and engage in social enterprise. SF&G spoke to Ann Davidson, who has been part of this longstanding initiative for nearly 20 years.

TheHorseCourse is a busy Equine-Assisted Interventions Centre based on an ex-dairy farm in Weymouth. Harriet Laurie, founder, explains what TheHorseCourse offers people who are struggling and for whom other more mainstream therapeutic approaches may not be working.

Scotswood Garden works with nature to create a great place for people and wildlife to enjoy. The garden is about community, whether in Scotswood and Benwell or the wider area, and they welcome people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in the work.