By KLTV Newsdesk –

Dalton charity uses gardening, outdoor learning and community activities to tackle isolation and improve wellbeing

A Dalton charity is helping hundreds of people across Huddersfield build confidence, develop new skills and strengthen community connections through gardening and outdoor activities.

Growing Works, based on Wakefield Road in Dalton, uses its allotment site to support adults, young people and families through therapeutic gardening, outdoor learning, crafts, bushcraft, nature activities and healthy cooking.

The charity says its work is about much more than growing vegetables, with its activities designed to help people tackle isolation, improve their wellbeing and develop a greater sense of belonging.

CEO Kat Woolley said: “Nature has an incredible ability to bring people together. At Growing Works, we want to create spaces where people feel safe, valued and able to be themselves – while discovering that they are capable of far more than they may have imagined.”

More than 2,400 attendances in 2025

Growing Works has recorded a significant level of participation in its programmes.

During 2025, the organisation delivered 127 Bud sessions, 60 Sprout sessions, 27 Young Shoots sessions and four mindful craft sessions.

Together, the activities attracted more than 2,400 attendances from 333 individual participants.

The charity says that while the figures demonstrate the scale of its work, the most important impact can be seen in the individual experiences of those taking part.

For some, participating may mean learning how to grow vegetables or developing a practical skill. For others, it can provide an opportunity to meet people, spend time outdoors and have somewhere to go.

Supporting young people

One of the charity’s key programmes is Young Shoots, which provides outdoor learning opportunities for teenagers with additional and other support needs.

The programme gives young people the opportunity to learn outside a traditional classroom environment, developing practical skills while exploring nature and working alongside others.

Growing Works says the hands-on approach can help young people discover new abilities and build confidence.

Creating a place to belong

The Dalton site includes raised growing beds, polytunnels, accessible pathways, an outdoor kitchen, wildlife areas, a pond and sheltered spaces.

The facilities provide areas where people can work, eat, talk and spend time together.

Kat Woolley said having a place where people feel they belong can make a significant difference.

“We shouldn’t underestimate the importance of having somewhere you can belong,” says Kat.

“Sometimes it’s the smallest things – planting a seed, sharing a meal, learning a new skill or having a conversation over a cup of tea – that can start to make a really big difference to someone’s life.”

The charity’s work comes as issues including loneliness, mental wellbeing, food insecurity and access to green space continue to affect communities.

Growing Works aims to provide a practical way for people to improve their wellbeing through participation and connection.

Bringing people and nature together

Environmental awareness is also central to the organisation’s work.

Growing Works incorporates sustainable growing and biodiversity into its activities, while helping participants understand where food comes from and develop an appreciation of the natural environment.

The organisation has also increasingly worked with community and creative organisations, opening its site up for activities including music, art and outdoor creative sessions.

Growing Works began in 2009 as the Holme Valley Gardening Network, a grassroots initiative bringing people together through a shared interest in growing.

It became a registered charity in 2015 and has since expanded its work beyond horticulture.

Looking ahead

Kat, who has experience across the charity and outdoor education sectors, is now looking to build on the organisation’s work and expand the opportunities available to communities across Kirklees.

Growing Works says its ambition is to create more opportunities for people to learn, connect, contribute and feel valued.

For the charity, the plants growing across its Dalton allotment are only part of the story.

Alongside the vegetables and flowers, it is aiming to cultivate greater confidence, stronger relationships and healthier communities.

Find out more

To learn more about Growing Works, its programmes and opportunities to get involved, visit Growing Works at growingworks.org.uk.