Well being and mental health go hand in hand, which is why it’s no surprise that poor mental health can affect anyone at any time, and the impact on individuals and their families can be devastating.
With that in mind Lisa Smith owner of Ginger Bakers, Kendal, was invited to visit Sizergh based mental charity Growing Well earlier this year. During her visit she heard about the diverse mental health benefits of gardening and growing. How it allows people to reconnect with nature, especially in our increasingly urbanised and technologically driven world.
She discovered that those who spend time at Growing Well frequently show significant reductions in depression and anxiety, have greatly improved social functioning and often pursue opportunities for vocational development. Lisa also heard that all too frequently many think that good mental health is just the absence of mental illness. But in reality, it is the foundation for well being, something that we all have to take care of, rather than take for granted, especially as:
- One in six adults will have a mental health problem at some time
- 50% of mental health problems start by the age of 14.
- One in ten children will have a mental health problem
- Mental health problems represent the largest cause of disability, with health and social care service costs at an estimated £22.5 billion and rising.
- Mental illness represents 23% of the total burden of disease in the UK
- Mental health problems can be both the cause and the consequence of poor physical health.
All good enough reasons for baker Lisa Smith, to want to work closely with the team at Growing Well and support its work. So, after several discussions with her team she decided to create two new cakes to add to the Ginger Bakers range.
The idea behind the cakes is to help raise funds to support the vital work the dedicated team undertake in providing long term, regular support for as long as is needed to help people recover from their illness and build a positive future for themselves. 10% of all profits from the sale of these cakes will go directly to Growing Well to help support their work.
The two new seasonal cakes are a carrot and ginger tray cake and a lemon and blackcurrant tray cake, which will also contain organic carrots and blackcurrants grown by the charity’s volunteers when seasonally available.
Ginger Bakers will officially launch the seasonal cakes at the Southport Flower Show, the UK’s largest independent flower show, between 15 – 18 August.
Lisa Smith, owner of Ginger Bakers, commented: ‘’I chose to support Growing Well because the work they do and support they provide could be needed by any of us at any time in our lives, but is so underfunded. For me looking after your state of mind is just as important as taking care of your body. Doing activities that help you to experience a sense of meaning and purpose, a sense of control over your own life, and strong relationships with others, are key parts of functioning well and to that end Growing Well plays a vital role in supporting and helping people. At Sizergh they have created an environment that supports people to be open about their mental health problems, where they can seek help can help and ultimately raise awareness and understanding among the wider community to reduce negative perceptions and prejudice.’’
Mary Houston, CEO of Growing Well, said: ‘’We are delighted to be supported by Ginger Bakers, a company just a couple of miles away with huge integrity, community values and – most importantly – the highest quality products. The fact that Lisa has chosen to give wider visibility to our service, and our organic produce, is just fantastic. We are entirely reliant on fundraising to sustain Growing Well and partnering with an established brand to bolster our market presence is of huge value. All monies raised through this initiative will allow us to continue delivering our holistic recovery service, which is a lifeline to many people in this area.’’
The cakes are now available to order directly from Ginger Bakers via www.gingerbakers.co.uk
