A community garden in Corby is set to keep growing after Groundwork Northamptonshire secured lottery funding to continue its wellbeing sessions.

Corby’s Willowbrook Wellbeing Garden was created by Groundwork Northamptonshire in partnership with NHS Property Services and Lakeside Healthcare Group’s social prescribing team after local conversations highlighted the need for accessible, non-clinical activities for people experiencing isolation and low wellbeing.

The lottery funding will support Green Minds, a community gardening project at Corby’s Willowbrook Wellbeing Garden that helps people improve their wellbeing through nature, gardening and social connection. The project has been awarded more than £18,000 through The National Lottery Community Fund’s Awards for All England programme, supporting two years of wellbeing sessions from August 2026.

Kate Williams, chief executive of Groundwork Northamptonshire, said: “This funding is brilliant news for Corby and for everyone who has already benefited from the garden. Green Minds is about bringing people together, improving wellbeing and creating a space where local people can feel supported, relaxed and connected. The fact that we can continue this work through the winter is especially important, because that’s when many people feel the impact of isolation most keenly.”

Project lead Cheryl Brading, from Groundwork Northamptonshire, added: “The Willowbrook Wellbeing Garden has already shown just how powerful a simple space like this can be – bringing people together, building confidence and helping people feel less alone. Gardening has a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing and we can see first-hand how much people value having a safe space to come, spend time together and look forward to each week We’re looking forward to welcoming both familiar faces and new participants as the project grows.”

 

The garden, which is located behind Corby’s Willowbrook Health Centre, has been designed as an accessible, welcoming space with ramps, a gravel path, planters and seating.

Groundwork Northamptonshire has been running weekly gardening sessions at the garden since it opened. Fifteen people took part in last year’s pilot, helping shape everything from what is grown to the activities on offer. These participants will continue to help plan future seasons and welcome new attendees.

The new funding will enable Groundwork Northamptonshire to employ a community engagement officer and expand the offer to regular gardening and peer-support sessions for up to 20 people a week, running through all seasons. Fortnightly online and in-person sessions over winter will help keep people connected during the colder months, and an annual visit to an established community garden will give participants further inspiration.

The project will create opportunities for local people to reduce social isolation through connecting with others, improve their wellbeing, and learn food-growing skills in a welcoming community environment. Sessions are open to everyone, with participants able to drop in or be referred through the local social prescribing network.

Anyone can drop in to the garden sessions, and referrals are also made through the local social prescribing network.

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Notes to Editors

National Lottery: National Lottery players raise over £32 million a week for good causes across the UK. Thanks to them, The National Lottery Community Fund distributes more than £600 million a year through over 13,000 grants. The funder plans to invest over £4 billion of funding into communities by 2030. It supports projects across the whole of the UK to turn their truly life-changing ideas into reality.

To find out more visit The National Lottery Community Fund website.

About Groundwork Northamptonshire: Groundwork Northamptonshire is a community charity working to improve the environment, strengthen communities and support people to lead healthier, more connected lives across Northamptonshire. Find out more at www.groundwork.org.uk/northamptonshire/