Dec 11, 2023 | ActivGardens, ActivLives
If you are looking for a new activity to give yourself a boost in the new year, how about joining a course at ActivGardens?
We have two free courses starting in February for people aged 16+:
• Gardening In Mind – a FREE 12-week course supporting your mental wellbeing. Find out more HERE – funded by Henry Smith Charity.
• Grow Your Future – a FREE 12-week course, helping you gain skills and confidence for further learning, training, volunteering or employment. Find out more HERE – funded by Equity In Mind – a partnership between NSFT and Suffolk Community Foundation.
The friendly group sessions will include – gardening and horticulture, growing your own veg, working in a plant nursery, nature conservation and beekeeping (optional), and therapeutic/ creative activities. They aim to promote good physical and mental health, and help you learn practical skills, in a supportive environment where you can meet others.
Please come to one of our Open Days to look around the gardens, meet our team and find out more over a cuppa:
• Gardening In Mind – Monday 15th January 10am to 2pm at the People’s Community Garden
• Grow Your Future – Wednesday 17th January 10am to 2pm at the People’s Community Garden on Maidenhall Allotments IP2 8RE and Tuesday 16th January 10am to 2pm at Chantry Walled Garden in Chantry Park IP2 0BS.
Former participants have said:
“It’s helped me realise this is the sort of work I want to be in. It’s increased my knowledge base and my confidence in what I know. It’s what I look forward to in the week. It’s given me the knowledge to move forward.”
“It’s helped me achieve goals set out before starting the project. It’s helped me have structure in my week. It’s helped my confidence grow from week to week with each new horticulture skill.”
“I’ve got more self-esteem and confidence. I’ve met more people down here – I don’t feel so isolated.”
“This project has helped me – I needed somewhere to lose myself. There were too many things going on at once, and my mind was too full. Here, you can step out of the rat race and into a carefree area. It lifts a weight from your mind. You are surrounded by nature and it makes you feel better in lots of ways – the joy of seeing plants, rebirth. No doubt about it, it lifts you.”
“I have become more active and I am putting something back into the local community, and contributing my own skills. Having retired, I need something to fill my day. I need to do things that make me feel happy and proud.”
“It helped build up confidence in a working environment. I have become more assertive in conversation. It’s helped me become less stressed.”
To register your place or to find out more, please contact programme manager Susannah Robirosa on 07530 407302 on 01473 345350 or email susannah@activlives.org.uk or visit our website: www.activlives.org.uk/activgardens
Jun 1, 2021 | ActivGardens, ActivHubs, ActivLives, ActivSinging, ActivSports, ActivSuffolk
We’re very happy to reveal that we’ve been chosen for Green Token Giving scheme at Asda Stoke Park. This amazing opportunity could be vital in helping us to continue our outreach and community work over the next few months. Voting is online and you can choose to give your green token to ActivLives, by doing so, your help could mean we receive £500 from the Asda Foundation.
ActivLives work includes running sports sessions, hosting singing clubs, Better Balance sessions and our ActivGardens which includes the People’s Community Garden and the Chantry Walled Garden. It’s a huge breadth of activities that aims to help isolated and lonely people who otherwise would struggle to engage with their community. You can see a flavour of our work in the community in our image above, it shows just a tiny amount of what we do and how we try and keep the community active and engaged.
You might be wondering how to vote for us online, well it’s super easy! Just head to asda.com/green-tokens type in Stoke Park into the box which says ‘select your local Asda store’ and then vote for ActivLives/ActivGardens.
The Green Token scheme is open right now and runs until Saturday 31 July so make sure to vote and then tell all of your family and friends to vote too. Everyone at ActivLives would like to thank you for your kind support and your vote to help get us to that £500 donation!
Get voting now and don’t forget we’re listed as ActivLives/ActivGardens: asda.com/green-tokens
Sep 18, 2020 | ActivGardens, ActivLives
If you are looking for a new direction – how about taking part in a FREE outdoor-based learning programme at ActivGardens? ‘Grow Your Future’ will enable you to learn new skills and gain confidence on your way to further opportunities.
Sign up NOW to attend the induction day on Monday 23rd November 2020
The 12-week programme on Mondays/Fridays will include garden maintenance, horticulture and environmental conservation, with a chance to get involved in specialist activities such as woodworking or bee-keeping at The People’s Community Garden, Halifax Rd, Ipswich, IP2 8RE. Grow Your Future is for anyone aged 16+ who is unemployed or economically inactive, and encourages people who face barriers to work – such as a disability, health condition, or caring responsibilities. To find out more, or register your interest, please contact Susannah Robirosa on 07530 407302 or email susannah@activlives.org.uk. You can also contact ActivLives on 01473 345350 This project is funded by the European Social Fund and administered by LIFT Community Grants ‘Local Investment in Learning Paths to Work’. 
Mar 20, 2020 | ActivGardens, ActivLives
Following the Government’s announcement last night (23 March 2020), ActivGardens and its projects and services will close.
A team of staff and key volunteers will continue to carry out essential tasks, managed according to Government guidelines.
We hope to be able to help supply fresh produce and plants to the local community when the situation improves.
Please check for further updates in three weeks.
Mar 10, 2020 | ActivGardens
If you are looking for a new direction now spring is springing – how about taking part in a free outdoor-based learning programme at ActivGardens?
‘Grow Your Future’ will enable you to learn new skills and gain confidence on your way to further opportunities and employment.
The 12-week scheme will include garden maintenance, horticulture and environmental conservation, with a chance to get involved in specialist activities such as woodworking or bee-keeping.
Grow Your Future is for anyone aged 16+ who is unemployed or economically inactive, and encourages people who face barriers to work – such as a disability, health condition, or caring responsibilities.
- Where? The People’s Community Garden, Maidenhall Allotments, Halifax Road, Ipswich IP2 8RE
- When? The first session will be Monday 4th May or Friday 15th May (Friday 8th May is a public holiday).
- Why not come to look around on Wednesdays in March or April? Just let us know when you’d like to come and our friendly team will welcome you and show your round, and you can sign up in advance of the start date.
The programme is funded by the European Social Fund and the Education & Skills funding Agency, and administered by LIFT Community Grants ‘Local Investment in Learning Paths to Work’.
- If you would like to find out more, please contact Susannah on 07530 407302 or email susannah@activlives.org.uk or call ActivLives on 01473 345350.
