Bloom & The Gang : Lorna's Story
A safe environment to bloom
Seeing the allotment and having a chance to do as little or as much as I wanted to take part in has brought me great joy.
Taking time out to focus on yourself is extremely important for our wellbeing. In this post, Lorna shares her experience of Bloom’s Gardening To Feel Good Group and how she’s been able to make time for herself in nature.
Having seen an article about Bloom on social media, I knew I needed to find out more about their Gardening To Feel Good groups. Due to my health I’m usually quite limited in what I can take part in and I spend a lot of time with my children or doing solitary activities. However, the idea of being outdoors and exploring nature with a group of other women felt like something I could really benefit from.
I was a little apprehensive about meeting new people, as I’m sure most people are, but I was excited and looking forward to the session regardless. I needn’t have worried as it was absolutely fine and I wasn’t the slightest bit nervous after the first session – the volunteers are so welcoming and friendly.
See how you feel
I have an interest in learning how to grow things and gardening in general, so being in nature has really helped my overall wellbeing. Seeing the allotment and having a chance to do as little or as much as I wanted to take part in has brought me great joy.
When I feel low on energy, I like to do something a little more crafty or something low maintenance, like potting. But when I’ve felt more active, I’ve been able to weed and water the allotment – it’s really been up to me to decide what I feel able to do or benefit from at the time. It’s really adaptable.
We’ve also done some painting, flower pressing and, of course, drinking lots of tea and eating biscuits! It’s all a collaborative effort and we know that we’re bringing our ideas together to work on something positive.
Making time for me
Knowing that I have a group session each week gave me something positive to look forward to. A lot of my time is spent looking after others, but this is my time to protect and do something for myself.
Working with flowers and nature has also been really special. Being in the fresh air has been amazing. I love watching the progress of the plot over time and even taking a little something back with me, like some flowers. I love the tactile aspect of the group–being able to touch nature, see it and be around it. It’s really healing.
A lasting impact
Attending Bloom sessions has really given me the motivation to get out into nature more often. I can sometimes lull into a depressive period or find it hard to motivate myself to get outside. Bloom has helped me recognise the value of investing time and effort into my own wellbeing, and recognising the small, realistic goals that I find extremely valuable.
Meeting other women has also made me feel less isolated, even though we don’t go into detail about our personal circumstances. It’s so nice to be with other non-judgmental people in such a warm, safe and nurturing environment.
Becoming part of something special
If you’re curious about Gardening To Feel Good, I can wholeheartedly recommend Bloom. No matter what your circumstances or what you’re going through, it’s a positive space for you to truly be yourself.
You can self-refer to the group or go along to a Gather & Grow Session to get a taste of what’s on offer. The main thing to remember is that it’s as little or as much as you can manage – you can give as much as you can, but you’ll get just as much out of the experience.
Find out more about our Gardening To Feel Good groups or to refer yourself, or someone else, you can email cath@bloomsheffield.com. Cath is also available to speak to if you’d like to know more about what Bloom offers at our Gardening To Feel Good Groups.
Many thanks to Kat Chirnside, who transcribed and edited this interview and to Alina Trifan who captured the beautiful images.