Kurt Canfield, CEO of Delkia, and Rebecca Draper, Chair of Delkia’s Corporate Social Responsibility group, visited the Growing Well charity in Egremont to present a trowel and fork set, symbolising the £1,000 donation the company is making. This consists of £500 towards core funding to run programs and £500 to repair damage caused to the site by Storm Éowyn.
Growing Well is a free service that supports people experiencing mental ill health, helping them activate their own recovery and lead healthier lives through horticultural activities. The charity has sites in Egremont, Kendal, and Tebay.
Kurt and Rebecca were given a tour of the site by Mary Smith, Growing Well’s Chief Executive, and Hannah Wright, Manager of the West Cumbria Team. The tour included a visit to greenhouses damaged by Storm Éowyn. They also joined a communal lunch with staff and participants, featuring food made from vegetables grown on-site.
“Growing Well is a fantastic community-based mental health project that we are proud to support,” said Kurt Canfield. “Their base in Egremont serves the community from Maryport to Millom and makes a significant difference in people’s lives.”
A Growing Well participant said: “It has given me confidence to get a new job, given me tools to manage day to day problems, shown me I really like being outside and hands-on work, so much so that I have my own allotment now.”
If you know someone struggling with their mental health, they can self-refer via www.growingwell.co.uk. The charity also holds community volunteering sessions on Fridays, offers Veg Box subscriptions, and welcomes volunteers with specialist skills to support fundraising and events.