Flourish
Flourish is a free, flower growing support group designed to support women who are in remission, having finished cancer treatment. Through meeting other women with similar experiences and spending time outside growing flowers, we aim to relieve some of the anxiety and isolation that a cancer diagnosis can bring. We offer a six session programme (running for 6 consecutive weeks on a Monday) and a monthly drop-in session for women who can’t commit to the six weeks or who want to stay in touch after the programme has ended.
This group has been set up by the farm’s co-founder Olivia, and is inspired by her own experience of having cancer.
“I am all too aware that when cancer treatment finishes, we can feel flung back into the world without the support needed to navigate our new lives. For me, gardening and in particular, growing flowers, played a huge part in taking care of my wellbeing post-cancer - it has provided an opportunity to connect with nature, be creative, get active and to meet new people. I hope this group can be a stepping stone towards a more positive, resilient life, post-cancer.”
- Olivia
What you can expect from the group
During the sessions there will be plenty of time to chat and share stories. Sometimes we cry but we tend to laugh more! Gardening tasks are led by the seasons and might include things like seed sowing, potting on, planting out, weeding and harvesting. There is no pressure to get involved with every task - we have a table set up with herbal teas and gardening books for anyone in need of a slower pace.
If you would like to join either group, please contact Olivia - hello@bowdenspringsfarm.co.uk
“It was so lovely to just be in the garden, surrounded by nature and flowers, I found that very healing in itself.”
“I often feel I can’t talk to friends about my experience without them diverting the conversation so it’s been lovely to talk openly about my experience with women who just ‘get it’. It wasn’t all about cancer either, we seemed to have a lot in common.”
“I really appreciated that the group was run by someone who’s had cancer themselves and therefore understands what it means to go through something like this.”