We took participants from our Community Kitchen cookery course to our plot at Stanmer Wellbeing Gardens.
As part of our 6-week well-being cookery course ‘Nourish’ participants joined our Community Chef Charlotte and Community Gardener Caroline for an outdoor session at Stanmer Wellbeing Gardens. Throughout the day we engaged in a well-being walk, shared a delicious soup cooked over a fire, and took time out of our days to ground ourselves in nature and get away from everyday life.
Following a short introduction, we focussed our senses on the sounds, noises, and sights around us and our experiences in that moment. We then had a guided walk around Stanmer, exploring the wider park, other gardening plots located nearby, and the serene pond at the Wellbeing Gardens.
During the walk, there was a slight drizzle, but this did not dampen any spirits. We discussed the beauty of the nature around us – the vibrant greens lit up by the droplets of rain, the sound of the birds, and even the feel of squelching mud beneath our feet. To aid this Caroline encouraged us to enjoy parts of the walk in silence. One person reflecting on the walk said “I noticed a tree stump with routes pouring out of it and interconnecting, it felt like a metaphor for how I sometimes feel but out here in nature, everything seems calmer.”
Upon returning to the Wellbeing Gardens we were welcomed by the vibrant green soup prepared by Charlotte. This was accompanied by a creamy yogurt, freshly squeezed lemon, garlic, and olive oil, which was delicious and energising after our walk. Of course, we couldn’t miss out on the opportunity to toast marshmallows over the fire. There were lovely comments on the soup, “as it was cooked over fire it felt like I was closer to how food would have been made. I felt appreciation of all the effort that goes into cooking our food” another said, “I adored being back to basics with the beautiful fire and delicious food.”
The session allowed people to connect with each other in a different space. One person explained, “connecting with nature allowed me to be more open and confident connecting in all sorts of ways, with fellow participants and in the activities”. Others described how being in a different space outdoors was grounding – “the peace and quiet and having no demands was blissful especially when you are busy and have children.” Another expressed – “being outdoors and in nature, I can truly hear everyone and be calm. It was wonderful.”
