About Feel Good Gardens
Feel Good Gardens is a Community Interest Company that operates from its beautiful and friendly community garden site at Forestry Holdings, next door to Sherwood Pines in North Nottinghamshire.
We run gardening sessions on Tuesdays and Fridays at our 3 acre site, and
offer opportunities to get involved at many levels - gardening in the polytunnel, taking on a small raised bed, or simply coming along, socialising, and observing the wildlife that also visits our site. If you think you'd find it difficult to have an allotment due to your physical or mental health, age or disability, we'd love to hear from you.
We grow all sorts of produce - fruit, flowers and vegetables and wherever possible - and also host cookery and craft sessions, showing you how to use the stuff you've grown.
In 2018 we began a partnership with Mansfield District Council, developing 3 large allotment plots that had been neglected for many years into a community garden. Like at our Forestry Holdings site, we've run weekly gardening sessions there and the partnership has extended to another site. If you live in Mansfield and would like to take part in these allotment sessions, please get in touch with Sonya by emailing feelgoodgardensnotts@gmail.com
Feel Good Gardens values local food and community, getting outdoors, enjoying the seasons, understanding more about nature, and welcoming everybody to site regardless of age, gender, race or disability.
Coronavirus updates:
November 2021
We continue to remain vigilant regarding the risk posed by Coronavirus to our gardening participants, volunteers and visitors.
We are following all government guidelines, and if these change we will respond accordingly.
Please bring a face mask with you if you are coming to gardening sessions as you may need to wear it in indoor spaces. Thanks!
Please see our Facebook page for regular updates.
At all out Feel Good Gardens sites, we use the NHS Test and Trace app. We encourage all our participants to do the same. You can download the app on the
App Store or Google Play.
Grow your
own produce
Join a local community
Get active outdoors in the Sherwood Pines area
Learn about gardening, nature
& cooking
The Feel Good Gardens Team
Feel Good Gardens' staff team are: Sonya Ward, Geoff Dunn and Amanda Fisher (Community Gardeners) Clare Heyting (Development Director) and Jeff Bale (Finance and Admin Director).
Board of directors is: Don Harradine (Retired Academic, FGG Volunteer), Carol Harradine (Retired NHS Administrator, FGG Volunteer), Simon Hartley (Chairman; Local Advice Charity Leader), Clare Heyting (Executive Director) and Jeff Bale (Insurance Executive).
Our Funders
We are currently funded by the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund, Nottinghamshire County Council Local Communities Fund, the Nineveh Trust, the Co-operative Community Fund, and many donations from kind individuals.
Thank you to all our funders.
If you would like to donate to Feel Good Gardens, you can donate directly to our bank account:
Sort Code 30-98-90
Account Number 17131268
Testimonials and case studies
Testimonials from site users, as posted publicly on our Facebook page:
‘Amazing place, so tranquil, amazing people as well’
‘Very peaceful and friendly atmosphere and welcoming’
‘great place, great people, great garden therapy’
‘Brilliant project, staff are ace. The support is amazing.’
‘Absolutely brilliant! There should be a Feel Good Gardens everywhere, it makes a difference to the lives of so many people’.
‘This has been my sanctuary for a long time. Love it’.
‘I absolutely love this place. It’s peaceful, quiet and the people are lovely, I have made some really nice friends.’
‘Feel Good Gardens is absolutely amazing, my husband goes and I go to support. The volunteers are brilliant, they are so caring, generous, they go above and beyond for everyone, both also make such fantastic food from the produce. Thank you so much for the support.’
‘Love it! Would be lost without it’.
‘This organization are doing fabulous work’.
A Feel Good Gardens story:
Sophie:
I was living with my dad after being discharged from hospital and was still trying to reduce medication that made me very ill. I felt ostracized from society and my friends and felt a constant burden to my extremely supportive dad. Upon arrival at Feel Good Gardens I felt I could immediately relax and be myself. The side effects from my medication eased up during my time there giving myself some much needed respite, and I was able to actually enjoy myself without feeling like a freak. I really enjoyed spending time with like-minded people and being in the garden in the fresh air. I was made to feel welcome and special immediately. Clare and Richard took interest and encouraged me with my passions. The food was always lovely and healthy and from the garden. Everyone was made to feel special and cared for we are like a family.
Attending Feel Good Gardens gave me much needed confidence and was truly the one time of the week I would look forward to. The one day of the week I wasn't sad to be alive and felt like I had purpose.
Although I have since moved back to my home and got a part time job and am continuing my life, Clare still keeps in touch, and I know my dad still visits the garden and the support and company they offer him is great.
I couldn't recommend Feel Good Gardens enough. They helped me feel human in a time when I didn't have hope.
Sophie's Dad:
Following serious mental health issues my daughter was introduced to FGG in August 2019. She was immediately made to feel welcome in the tranquil settings of Sherwood Forest and instantly felt the therapeutic effect of fresh air, learning new skills and the one to one tuition.
On a personal note, and possibly an aspect that is overlooked, I found that having a days respite certainly helped me recharge my batteries ready for the challenges of negotiating our creaking Social Care provision. With the help of FGG aiding her recovery my daughter has been able to dramatically reduce her medication and now holds a part time job. We would highly recommend FGG and the safe space they provide.