Living Vital
Living Vital is a community gardening project based at Stanmer Park on the outskirts of Brighton. The organisation aims to improve mental and physical wellbeing through socialising and connection with nature. It offers the opportunity for people to learn about growing food sustainably, improving local biodiversity, nutrition, simple woodwork and bushcraft skills, and cookery and runs regular sessions with various groups in the community. Its main project is ‘Common Ground’ – an organic food growing community project benefitting around 60 individuals from the refugee and migrant community.
In October 2022, the Foundation made a grant for £5,000 to be split equally over a two-year period. The funding is to contribute towards general running costs of the Common Ground project. The project works in partnership with Voices in Exile, a refugee charity in Brighton that will refer individuals. Regular therapeutic gardening sessions will help to improve mental and physical health, boost confidence and reduce people’s isolation. It is also an opportunity for the refugee and migrant community to make new friends and connections in the local community.
