Community Growing Project
Seeds of Hope was a community-growing and wellbeing project run by Urban Wilderness CIC between 2020 and 2021, operating across Knutton (Newcastle-under-Lyme) and Abbey Hulton (Stoke-on-Trent).
The project created accessible growing spaces and gardens in neighbourhoods where residents often lack green outdoor space, working with local young people, families and volunteers. Through gardening, sustainability workshops, creative craft activities and shared cultivation, participants were invited to reconnect with nature, food systems and each other — building community, skills and hope.
Activities included:
planting fruit, vegetables, or native plants;
craft and construction workshops using recycled materials;
outdoor sessions focused on environmental awareness, food growing and seasonal cycles;
group activities for wellbeing, social connection and collective care.
Seeds of Hope aimed to nurture more than just plants — it was about growing community resilience, connection and wellbeing. For many participants, the gardens offered a safe, nurturing space during a challenging period, providing fresh food, a sense of purpose, and a tangible connection to the land.
The project exemplifies how simple, place-based community growing and creative engagement can support social inclusion, environmental awareness and collective hope for a better future.