Welly to Belly – Barlow Road Community Garden

Ideal for All is a user-led registered charity and social enterprise working to make life better for disabled, elderly and vulnerable people and their carers.

We are a Sandwell’s longest established and largest fully working Community Market Garden which grows fruit and veg and supports people to make friends and learn new things. You will have a go at growing and cooking with us. Expect to get ‘hands on’ and experience food growing, picking and tasting together. No experience needed.

Our fun, family friendly sessions are great for all ages. No experience needed, all family members and carers welcome, fully accessible to a range of abilities. (Children must be accompanied by a supervising adult)

Our vision

To empower and enable disabled and disadvantaged people and their families carers support workers and local communities regardless of age or background to fulfil their potential as active citizens and fully participate in society and the neighbourhoods in which they live.

We are a Sandwell’s longest established and largest fully working Community Market Garden which grows fruit and veg and supports people to make friends and learn new things. You will have a go at growing and cooking with us. Expect to get ‘hands on’ and experience food growing, picking and tasting together. No experience needed.

Based in Sandwell, our team deliver services across the West Midlands and neighbouring regions. We are an award-winning provider of person-centred services that achieve positive outcomes for people in terms of improvements in mental and physical health and wellbeing, reduced isolation, improved knowledge, skills and opportunities, employability, and increased independence.

Our Vision

To empower and enable disabled and disadvantaged people and their families, carers, support workers and local communities, regardless of age, or background to fulfil their potential as active citizens and fully participate in society and the neighbourhoods in which they live.

Born out of partnership with the local authority and Public Health and continued development since this time. Deliver interlinked outcomes and impact contributing specifically to overcoming barriers towards a stronger Sandwell.

Sessions are free (gardening, cooking, moving through outdoor play) and people take home everything they make.

Demonstrating where to get started no matter what size of garden of experience, e.g. getting started with windowsill box. Sessions are a great place to start and get whole family involved!

Nutritional education embedded providing ‘hands on’ opportunities to develop positive healthy lifestyle/ increased awareness. Grow, cook and eat approach learning about creating low cost, easily replicated, nutritious food focusing on eater better where you can/ small steps to progression. We will harvest some fresh herbs and salads together and use these in our cooking session. Sit down, eat together and take home all the leftovers! All included and we cater to a range of needs, food choices, preferences and of course allergies.

Being outdoors is also great for how you feel in yourself, and our team are experts on the 5 ways to wellbeing – simple things we can do to connect, move, give, notice and learn together which makes us feel good!

Experienced user-led organisation run by and for disabled people and work as ‘experts by experience’, understanding the importance of delivering person-centred approaches. Successfully developed three sites from derelict land with diverse needs in mind. Co-produced with disabled people of all ages and abilities, range of adapted tools and equipment both on our garden sites, our kitchens and outreach kits. Sites are used all year round and anyone with an interest in being outdoors, meeting new people and trying something new can get involved.

Person-centred approaches, enabling people in ways that suits them. Always learning from each other and developing new approaches, taking on board feedback – embedded in our ethos/ processes.

Flexible to accommodate e.g. incorporate regular breaks, change dynamic for neurodiverse people at intervals if needed, work with the person or family and take their lead. We consider dietary needs/ preferences (part of ‘choice and control’ user-led functions). Experienced/ adaptable delivery models utilise accessible physical activity as key component through fun organised play ‘moving a little more’ (tabletop gardening, adapted movements etc).

Proven track record and ‘safe pair of hands’. Support all ages, abilities, backgrounds including those experiencing additional barriers e.g. low educational attainment, behavioural needs, looked after children. For more information please contact the provider.