Green Synergy is delighted to have delivered our Rooted in Care project as part of The Culture and Nature for Health and Wellbeing project in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council.
This project was founded on the wealth of evidence which demonstrated the benefits of arts, heritage and nature to people’s health and wellbeing. We found that activities in these areas could be very flexible and tailored to suit a wide range of interests and abilities. In terms of wellbeing, the activities supported wellbeing in a preventative way, and helped to negate the need for clinical intervention.
Rooted in Care was a seasonal programme of creative wellbeing workshops delivered between September 2025 and March 2026 at Green Synergy’s Hillside Gardens, polytunnel and office spaces. The project was designed to support carers and care professionals by offering restorative time in nature through gentle, heritage‑inspired creative activities.
Across the programme, participants took part in a wide range of hands‑on workshops including weaving, nature journaling, seed bomb making, seed and plant studies, printing, lantern making, wreath planning, diary keeping, drawing and watercolour. Sessions were carefully shaped around the changing seasons, using natural materials from the gardens and focusing on observation, curiosity and mindful making rather than outcomes or skill levels.
The workshops were led by Dahlia Lee and collaborators, with activities intentionally paced to encourage calm, reflection and conversation. Sessions were small, informal and welcoming, allowing participants to dip in and out of activities and engage at their own comfort level. Being outdoors — whether under the pergola, in the polytunnel, or bringing nature indoors during winter — played a central role in creating a peaceful, grounding environment.
Rooted in Care placed equal value on process and experience as on creativity itself. Many participants arrived feeling unsure about their creative abilities or guilty about taking time for themselves, but grew in confidence as the programme progressed. Conversations naturally emerged around caring roles, identity, stress and self‑care, supported by a strong sense of trust and mutual encouragement within the group.
Feedback collected throughout the project showed clear positive outcomes:
- Many participants reported improved emotional and mental wellbeing, often describing sessions as calming, restorative and therapeutic.
- Over half of participants said they felt more connected to others and less isolated.
- A majority tried new creative activities, often for the first time since childhood, and experienced a renewed sense of confidence and achievement.
- The group environment helped challenge the stigma around carers taking time for themselves, reinforcing that wellbeing and creativity are essential rather than indulgent.
Rooted in Care created a space where people could slow down, reconnect with nature, rediscover creativity and feel valued as individuals, not just in their caring roles. The project closed with a reflective feedback session that highlighted the strength of the community that had formed and the meaningful impact of shared creative time.
Although the programme has now ended, Rooted in Care leaves behind a strong creative and wellbeing legacy, demonstrating the power of nature‑based, heritage‑led arts activity to support carers with compassion, generosity and care.
Green Synergy is delighted to be working in partnership with:
