Spring into Action – Helping our Clients Grow through what you go through

In April 2024 Integrated Plus launched it’s Spring into Action social prescribing micro-grants programme. This was to enable a wider range of not-for-profit groups to develop projects and contribute to our vision of Dudley as a nurturing, caring, vibrant and strong community. Micro grants have enabled small groups to deliver a series of community projects whilst being supported by our newly recruited Volunteer and Activities Coordinator, Group Development Team and Dudley Volunteer Centre.

During the first 6 months of the programme Integrated Plus funded Ekho Collective CIC based at Hawbush Gardens, Brierley Hill to provide outdoor cooking sessions around their campfire in Ekho Wood. Ekho Collective CIC are a social enterprise committed to fostering positive change through inclusive, community-driven initiatives with a strong emphasis on the profound benefits of nature connection for health and wellbeing.

The outdoor cooking sessions gave participants the opportunity to come together as a group to prepare nutritious, plant based, budget friendly food with recipes that could easily be replicated at home. Participants each made and decorated a recipe folder and participated in several nature based craft sessions including making bookmarks and windowsill herb gardens. Ingredients were, where possible, harvested from produce grown from the Integrated Plus Community plot located at Hawbush Gardens.

The objective of the group was to bring people together through preparation and eating of food to enable participants to feel part of a community, share thoughts, ideas and memories around food and recipes.

The sessions were hugely successful with 3 blocks funded and 35 people supported.

Positive feedback was received from participants who enjoyed preparing and eating food and the sense of community provided by the sessions. Here are some of the lovely quotes from participants:

“I’ve not been out for years and socialised like this. I’ve been ok talking in this group even though I was a bit nervous at first”

“True laughter, true sharing, No treading on egg shells”

“Safe space, enjoyed company, beautiful, calm”

Could your not for profit organisation develop projects that can support people in a nuturing, caring and vibrant way to build strong communities? If you have a group or an idea please contact Hayley Wright, Volunteer and Activities Coordinator at Integrated Plus for more information: hayley@dudleycvs.org.uk