We spoke with a former participant of Growing New Roots to explore how the programme shaped their experience of the outdoors and how it affected other areas of their life.
Can you tell us a bit more about your story before joining Growing New Roots?
Just before I started GNR, my partner and I had just got over a crisis, because my partner was newly in rehab. And I had stopped drinking as well, and prior to that, I’d had two decades of issues with my mental health. I had bouts of depression, sometimes where I would not want to leave the house, so I could sometimes go three weeks without wanting to step outside. And then when I did, it was really stressful. I couldn’t cope with going to the shops and things like that. I had really high anxiety, but it came across as me getting quite stressed and angry about situations. I had seven kids within eight years. And one of them was diagnosed at birth with a really quite severe learning difficulty, and then went on to be diagnosed with autism and ADHD as well. And that was when I was 21. And I didn’t get any support at that point. And it just sort of kept spiralling from then. I didn’t have much family support, and I couldn’t access some services because, apparently, I was coping really well. So I was just left to plod along, but I think the whole time I was struggling, but just not struggling ‘enough’ to qualify for any help. So it was quite difficult. It was going on like that for 15 years, and then I started self-medicating, drinking, and becoming a bit of a habit. My partner was struggling with his business, and then the lockdown happened, and so it was an ongoing thing for a very, very long time. And I isolated myself from pretty much everybody else. It was just me inside my living room every day, pretty much, and it just turned into this whole big thing. I never knew that getting outside would help so much. I mean, it’s always been there, hasn’t it, and it just took something as simple as our group to reconnect me with that and give me the confidence to go out and enjoy what’s there.
Where did you see the group advertised?
So the kids did one of the Food Partnership holiday courses and had a leaflet in the little bag that they brought home. I went online to see what else was on offer, and I saw GNR. I thought I needed something just for me. The timings fit with the school run, and it’s between drop-off and pickup times. It’s only up the road, so I gave it a go.
Had you done anything like this before?
No, never. Whenever I tried to commit to doing anything before, I found it so hard that I’d stress myself out, and after a couple of weeks, I’d just have to stop going. And so GNR was one of the first things I managed to stick with, and even more so because I’ve come so far.
Before you started GNR, would you say that you were an ‘outdoorsy’ type of person?
I was, when I was younger, yes, before having the kids, but after having a couple of them with issues, it requires a lot of routine and planning for being outdoors and all of that sort of stuff. It just made it really difficult. And then slowly we just became more house-based rather than outdoors. And that was a difficult cycle to break. The kids still aren’t massive fans, but since I’ve got more confident going out, and I know my way around more, I’m slowly starting to get them more involved. So GNR’s sort of made a difference for them as well, which is really nice.
How did you feel on your first day at GNR?
I was actually quite nervous, but as soon as I got up there, I felt more relaxed, and the group felt really safe. There were quite a few different ages, which was refreshing, and after we’d all settled in, we all just seemed to click. It was really nice just to be somewhere so different.
What changes have you noticed in yourself since doing GNR?
This time last year, things were so dark for me. My life was a very hectic, stressful existence.
If I hadn’t done GNR, I wouldn’t have had anything to sort of take my mind off things and there would have been quite a high possibility, I think, that things would have spiralled for me at one point and then I probably wouldn’t have been able to cope.
So to sit here now and think about how much those 8 weeks on the GNR eight-week group last year have impacted my life, it’s just immense. Now, life feels much more manageable, a massive contrast. Life is still obviously really challenging, but I’m able to deal with things a lot better now.
Can you tell me about what you did in the group and some of your highlights?
We did so many things! Becoming familiar with Truleigh Hill was great, as it’s really close to where I live. I loved the pond dipping! I’ve really enjoyed that, especially getting into it! Also, when we did the wild art together and decorated around the tree, I loved that it was just something so simple, but you would never do that if you went for a walk on your own.
And then I think it was when Graham from the National Trust came and let us have a look at the historical artefacts that they’d found on site. Yeah. And then we went out in the truck and ate our lunch up on the South Downs, and then came back, it was another really nice day.
We learned lots about the Geology and heritage of the South Downs, as well as the rare Chalk Grassland. Do you know anything about that before?
None. None at all. None
It was all so interesting, I’ve become a bit obsessed with it now, and I’ve now bought books and leaflets about the different types of flowers that you can find, the animals, the biodiversity, the geology and how long it’s all been there for. I love all the different aspects of it, and I’m open to learning about all of it, and I love to share it with the kids.
And I remember saying to everybody about the rare butterfly that comes from the caterpillar that lives on the Horseshoe vetch, and I said it needed to be in a documentary, and then a very similar one was on David Attenborough’s Wild Isles! And I got so excited. I do really enjoy that kind of knowledge.
I now know where all the archaeological features are, and they feature in all my walks. From Devil’s Dyke to Truleigh Hill, I know where each Bronze-Ages Barrow is, and I use it as a way of mapping, and that’s the part that kids like, and I show them where there was a mediaeval village, and you can see the wall where it would have been. And I enjoy the knowledge that I’ve got about the different plants, and the seasons of the year as well, like the cycles, so all of those things, and now I’m sharing that with the kids, which is really lovely. And it gives me something to be interested in, you know? If I’m stressed or upset, I’ve got these things I can dip in and out of that take my mind off stuff and give me a bit of perspective and peace, which is good.
What would you say is the main benefit that you have felt since GNR?
I just feel like I’ve finally figured out who I am.
It just seems really weird, doesn’t it? Just something so simple as getting a group of people outside, it was such a shared experience. It’s just it’s given me such confidence and the tools to be more mindful about things, and I know when I’m not feeling good, that rather than keeping myself huddled up indoors and getting consumed by it, I just go out, you know, go for a walk. I can get to Truleigh Hill from my house in under an hour if I want to, and it’s just a walk up the hill. And on the way, I recognise those features in the landscape that were pointed out to me.
So it’s completely transformed how I feel about things, and I’ve met some amazing people as well.
Are you still in touch with anyone from the previous group?
Yeah. So I think we should be going out next week. We meet up once a month or so. This is the thing about it being a shared experience and being able to continue that because we would never have crossed paths otherwise. Some people in the group lived opposite each other and didn’t even realise that they were such close neighbours! We meet up regularly for films, coffee, and we go for walks. And because we have those ‘check-ins’ and ‘checkouts’ every day, these are people who know quite personal things about you sometimes, which has created a bond and allows you to share quite openly and freely know that these people sort of get what’s happening with you is like a really big thing as well.
So this is not the end for you, it’s just the beginning. What have you got coming up?
One of the biggest things for me is getting to come back as a volunteer on the last group; it’s been amazing, and I’m so looking forward to the next one. Offering a cup of tea and just being a listening ear… Sometimes I’m able to chat and just be present for people who might be isolated and feel like they haven’t got anybody to confide in, or just have a chat with someone who cares… for me to be that person… It’s pretty amazing to be a part of. It’s hard to explain… it makes me feel so warm and happy to know that you’re there for other people and helping them, maybe helping them start their journey on something different. Just to know that we’ve made a difference, and that people have felt, you know, safe. To see other people reconnect or discover the South Downs, and be part of a community for those eight weeks, is an amazing feeling. And I’m glad I’m really proud and privileged to actually be a part of that. It was just such an amazing experience.
For me, moving forward, I’m doing my navigation awards certificate in the summer, then my lowland leader training, plus counselling and interpersonal skills training. So then I’ll be able to take other people out for local guided walks.
What would you say to anybody who was thinking about applying to the next GNR group?
I think it doesn’t matter what sort of person you are, where you’re at, what sort of lifestyle you’re leading, your family, or what walk of life you’re from. What you do for a living, whether you work or not, whether you’re a carer, whether you’ve got an illness, whether you’ve got mental health difficulties…I just think that it would have been quite easy for me to think “no, that doesn’t sound like something I want to do, being outdoors in all weathers…”. It’s actually not about that; it’s about becoming part of a group of people who have a shared experience and learning about your local area. It doesn’t matter how old you are; it’s suitable for anyone. Everybody arrives, and it’s just really cool. We all sort of bonded, and we’ll, you know, have respect for each other and what each other’s going through, and it’s just something really beautiful to be a part of. Anyone can enjoy it because it’s our place. It’s our day, though. Nature is there for everybody to enjoy. And I’m worried that sometimes people might be worried about looking out of place because they haven’t got the right clothing, or the right sort of background. GNR is not like that. The outdoors is for everybody, and the Downs are for us to enjoy and to look after. So yeah, anyone should apply. There will be a warm welcome and tea waiting as well.
Is there anything else you would like to say about GNR or the Changing Chalk project?
I’d like to say I’m really grateful for its existence. Honestly, so thankful, I don’t know who thought it up or how it all came about. But thank you to whoever decided that people needed to know about the South Downs, what is going on with the biodiversity and the changes that have been happening over the past 80 years or so, and that the Downs needs people to look after it.
Also, that within the Changing Chalk project, it’s not just been from a conservation point of view…that somebody thought ‘there are people in the towns and cities, isolated and depressed, sat in their living rooms, and need some help reconnecting with this amazing open space.’ So yeah, thank you for running it. It’s brilliant.
Names have been changed to protect the participant’s identity.
