Friendship is the foundation on which we stand…

Who we are

We’re Community Growth - two women who turned to nature and creativity during the hardest chapters of our lives, and found friendship, healing and strength there.

What helped us was simple: being outdoors, making things with our hands, talking, listening, laughing, sitting by a fire, and remembering who we were.

We realised other people needed that same kind of gentle space - somewhere to breathe, belong, try new things and feel part of something.

That’s how Community Growth began, and that’s still the heart of everything we do today.

  • Natalie - Director

  • Donna - Director

  • Judith - Non-Executive Director

  • Simone - Volunteer

  • Liz - Volunteer

How Our Work Grew

We didn’t begin in community settings - we began inside services, building connections through shared creative and outdoor experiences with people who’d often been overlooked or underestimated.

Those early years showed us two things: human connection can change everything, and far too many people only receive support when they are already in crisis.

We wanted to work earlier, more gently, and in ways that felt human.

So we brought what we’d learned back into our own community - listening, making, spending time outdoors, and creating spaces where people felt valued, safe and part of something.

As people shared their stories, patterns emerged, and our work naturally grew into community insight - helping partners understand the real experiences of the people they hoped to support.

Today, health inequalities and community voice are a big part of what we do - always rooted in connection, nature, creativity and kindness.

Nature Is At The Heart Of All We Do

Everything we do begins with nature. Humans are wired for trees, birdsong, water and open sky — and our bodies remember this. Time outdoors calms the nervous system, softens stress and gives people space to breathe. Nature helps us feel safe enough to talk, try things, connect and grow — and we see this every day.

Biophilia (We’re Meant to Be Here)

People often feel more grounded and more themselves in nature because we evolved alongside it. Being among trees, plants and natural textures brings a deep sense of steadiness and belonging.

Attention Restoration (Our Brains Recover Outside)

Life asks a lot of our attention. Nature gently resets it. The soft fascination of firelight, birdsong and moving leaves helps people rest mentally, think more clearly and reconnect with themselves.

Hands‑on, Outdoors, Real

We use natural materials, land art, bushcraft, woodland walks, community gardens, heritage crafts and simple making — because doing, touching and creating helps people feel grounded, capable and calm.

The Growth Approach

The Growth Approach is our human, heart‑led way of working. It sits alongside nature as the foundation.

Everyone on Equal Ground No hierarchy — no “professionals” and “service users.” Everyone brings strengths and wisdom.

Deep Listening & Gentle Responding We listen with care, curiosity and patience - noticing what people need and shaping the work around the group, not the other way round. Listening builds trust, safety and genuine connection.

Learning Beyond the Classroom Exploration, trying, playing, touching — not worksheets or pressure.

Wellbeing in Green Spaces Woods, gardens, water and firelight help people feel grounded and calm.

Trying New Things Small experiments — cooking, making, land art, walking — become “I can do this” moments.

Human Connection Above Everything People flourish when they feel seen, valued and part of something. Tea, laughter and kindness are part of the work.

Support That Meets You Where You Are Arrive as you are. No expectations. No performance.

Heritage, Stories & Sense of Place

Heritage is another way we help people feel rooted — in their place, their story and their identity.

We’ve spent over 15 years working with museums, churches, heritage sites and local history projects, blending creativity with memory, culture and belonging.

We approach heritage the same way we approach nature: hands‑on, relational, playful and people‑led.

How We Are Set Up

Community Growth CIC is our social purpose heart. It’s where we run our grant‑funded community work — women’s wellbeing, heritage and schools projects, community health partnerships, green social prescribing, and local voice work.

Community Growth Ltd is our delivery arm — creative sessions, land art, workshops and commissioned projects. It helps us stay financially resilient and allows us to reinvest time and resources back into our community work.

Same people, same ethos — just two routes that help us keep doing what we do.

Coming Soon… Our Story

A Tiny Glimpse Into A Very Human Story

Every organisation has a story - ours is rooted in friendship, courage, muddy boots, and the quiet, stubborn belief that nature and creativity can change lives.

We’ve walked through some hard chapters together, learned from the people around us, and found our way by listening deeply, trying things out, making mistakes, laughing a lot, and going again.

Along the way, we’ve held fire circles, built communities in unexpected places, run through downpours, stood inside museums after closing time, created stained glass with children, shared bushcraft with people who’d been told they “couldn’t,” and somehow ended up pulling ridiculous faces in a photo with David Attenborough.

The Growth Approach - our nature‑led, human‑first way of working - didn’t come from a training course or a plan. It came from lived experience, hard lessons, gentle moments, and the people who trusted us enough to share their stories.

Our work has evolved naturally over the years: from small beginnings, to working inside services, to community projects, to heritage, to creative learning, to women’s wellbeing, to community insight and health inequalities. And it will keep evolving as long as people invite us in.

We’re writing it all down — the friendship, the challenges, the unexpected turns, the things we learned, and the moments that shaped who we are today.

Our Storybook will be here soon.

Happy 100th Birthday Sir David Attenborough!

We grew up with David Attenborough’s voice shaping our sense of wonder - he was our hero long before we ever imagined we’d meet him. When it finally happened, all sense left our bodies. We were overwhelmed, excited, totally starstruck — and smiling so much our faces hurt.

Contact us

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