Our Impact

Bowden Springs Farm CIC was set up with the belief that gardening and connecting with nature has the power to improve people's health and wellbeing. Since 2022 we've been putting that belief into practice, running free community programmes from our unique garden in Totnes.

The impact of our work is also visible in the land itself. What was once a disused, brownfield site described as a ‘concrete eyesore’, is now a beautiful, biodiverse and productive garden that serves nature and wildlife as much as it serves our community.

Who we reach

Each week, we host two community gardening groups with a combined pool of around 60 members. Our groups have been running for four years, and while we're always welcoming new faces, many members have been with us since the beginning. People come for all sorts of reasons — to support their mental wellbeing, to meet new people, to feel connected to their community, or simply to spend time outdoors if they don't have a garden of their own.

We also welcome children from a local primary school each week, giving them regular time in a working garden and the chance to experience nature and the changing seasons. On open days, we open the gates to the wider community, welcoming visitors who might not be able to make it to our regular groups.

Our programmes

Feel Good Gardening Our weekly volunteer gardening group brings together a group of adults each week to grow food, tend the garden, and enjoy a shared lunch made using garden produce. The group is open to everyone and has built a close-knit community over the years.

Women's Flower Growing Group Every week this drop-in group invites women to come together to grow cut flowers. The group grew out of a support group for women recovering from cancer, but is now open to any woman looking for connection.

Earth Care School Sessions Each week we welcome local primary school children to the garden to explore what’s growing and to celebrate the changing seasons.

Programmes we've run

Beyond our current groups, we have also delivered therapeutic gardening programmes for women recovering from cancer and for adults with learning disabilities — work we hope to build on again in the future.

What people say

“Today is the first time I’ve felt like myself in a long while”

“My Macmillan nurse suggested I came here because she knew I loved nature. It’s important for my mental wellbeing to get out of the house and this group gives me the reason to do so"

“Since moving to Totnes, coming here has been my absolute highlight. I always leave feeling so welcomed, super inspired and like I’m learning so much from everyone"

“I just want to say a massive thank you. Last Sept I injured both knees quite badly which has impacted my movement a lot, so that with the long, dark, wet winter just made my whole system want to shut down and hibernate to the point that yesterday morning I wasn't sure I could even get up to the farm, let alone do anything useful! However by the time that I left and walked back, I felt like a new person! Was it the blue sky that you magically organised, the cheerful company, just getting very muddy or the fabulous soup? Who knows, but as far as I'm concerned it was miraculous.”