Grants awarded to green groups in Letchworth 

Two Letchworth community groups have been awarded a total of £2,050 following a meeting of the Letchworth Committee..

CultureWood CIC (community interest company) was awarded £1,000 towards outdoor, environmental activities to support adults' mental health and wellbeing.

The two-hour sessions for small groups will be run by a qualified Forest School Leader and trainee Therapeutic Wilderness Practitioner at Norton Common from June to October.

Activities will include learning new skills such as bush-crafting and green crafts, as well as guided mindfulness exercises. They are aimed at adults with mental health issues, addiction issues and any other community groups that would not usually access these types of projects. 

Tanya Dickson, Managing Director at CultureWood CIC, said: "We are a not-for-profit company passionate about protecting our natural world and reconnecting communities with nature and local greenspaces. We are so happy to be successful with our grant, please get in touch with us at [email protected]."

Green Care at Norton CIC was awarded £1,050 towards equipment for their new social enterprise based at Standalone Farm, also working with adults with mental health issues.

They have rented a large area of land for growing fruit, vegetables and cut flowers and need to buy a walking tractor with rotavator attachment to help them cultivate the land.

Ray Wilson, Director at Green Care at Norton, said: "We are very grateful to have been awarded such a generous grant from North Herts Council's Letchworth Committee which will help us to purchase much needed essential equipment helping us to establish our additional not-for-profit social enterprise growing fruit, vegetables and cut flowers at Standalone Farm."

The group gives ongoing support to vulnerable, disadvantaged and socially excluded local residents at their allotment site in Norton, where they have installed accessible pathways and have specially adapted gardening equipment.

The group helps users make new friends, learn new skills and improve their mental and physical wellbeing as well as supports them to take the first steps into paid employment. Having a presence at Standalone Farm, a popular local attraction, will help them engage with more people and also promote the advantages of locally grown produce.