The Gateway Community Garden: boosting mental and physical health to feel happier

For The Gateway Community Garden in Reigate, Surrey receiving a Community Garden Grant from the National Garden Scheme has helped them with the next chapter of their development. We spoke to Rachel Perez-Lofty to find out more.

“Gateway welcomes people with mental wellbeing struggles and physical health problems, many of which are caused or compounded by a wide variety of underlying disadvantages; poverty, disability, learning difficulties, homelessness, unemployment or low skills,” explains Rachel. “People from these under represented community groups often struggle to access ‘typical’ health and wellbeing support. Gateway is specifically designed to meet their needs. Vulnerable people also often find it easier to engage when they are in a comfortable and relaxing environment (for example in nature) and have a positive task to focus on, this is much less alienating than a one-to-one intervention or a support group.”

The Gateway seamlessly combines volunteering, expert support through learning and skills training, and positive activities with the therapeutic effects of time spent in nature. The result is a powerful, holistic package that genuinely changes the lives of those it supports.

Activities include horticulture sessions, family fun days, art sessions and specialist nature therapy activities carefully designed to improve mental wellbeing, build confidence, help people cope with pain and physical health issues and reduce individuals’ social isolation.

“Our beneficiaries find support, solace and healthy exercise (both physical and mental), they learn new skills, socialise, and relax, they also make a real, visible impact on the site, which boosts their confidence and self-esteem,” adds Rachel.

In the first three months after receiving a Community Garden Grant from the National Garden Scheme, the team worked on building new raised beds.

“The purpose of the project was threefold,” says Rachel. “Primarily to make the site more accessible for community members with disabilities or access needs; secondly to enhance our growing power by reducing the maintenance of our beds, in keeping with the rewilding approach we have taken over the last year, and thirdly, to provide a discrete maths training project for low skilled adults.”

Materials for the project were sourced locally and the work also incorporated educational components by teaching about soil and plant biology, environmental sustainability, and the benefits of gardening.

“We used demonstrations and hands-on learning to reinforce concepts and integrated mindfulness and relaxation techniques, such as sensory exploration (smelling plants, touching soil) or quiet reflection. All of this encourages participants to express their feelings and thoughts about the experience,” adds Rachel.

While the ongoing wet weather conditions this spring and early summer meant progress in developing the beds has been slower than expected, resilience and determination has prevailed, and three beds have been completed. Approximately 50 people (aged from 11-60+) have been involved and they are now planning the next beds to be built.

“The grant from the National Garden Scheme is helping us with the next chapter of Gateway’s development: concluding our building-back after the pandemic and moving on from the storm damage we experienced in 2023, establishing a future in which we can use horticulture to improve the lives of even more local people.”

For more about Gateway click here

For more about applying for a Community Garden Grant click here