I initially established Plot 22 in 2010 as a therapeutic community project. Now a Trustee, I love how so many people now care for this small piece of land, their stories weaving together to become part of the plot 22 story.

I have been coming to Plot 22 since September 2022 and I have enjoyed spending time here throughout the seasons and whatever the weather. It is a beautiful space within our city and a wonderful place to be, either during a busy session or to have some quiet, peaceful time.

I have a passion for the outdoors and have experienced the benefits that being in nature can bring. I volunteer with a number of organisations and Plot 22 has proved to be a favourite. The caring ethos and inclusive approach have given me opportunities to work with a wide range of people. I particularly enjoy my time supporting older people and those living with dementia to access nature. Having begun as a support volunteer, I have moved to co-facilitating groups and more recently supporting the organisation with co-ordination across all projects.

I love being outdoors digging, planting and planning gardens, growing vegetables and pollinating flowers which I grow mainly from seed. Nature always amazes me how it keeps giving, and we reap the benefits from it supplying us with food to eat and feeding our wildlife that we need to make it all happen. I have learned a lot over the years from “hands on” experience, adapting and experimenting with growing techniques working with our ever changing climate.

Just after lockdown in 2020 I started volunteering in Preston Park Demo Garden which led me to working for the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership running the sessions as a Lead Facilitator which then also led me to be a Co-Facilitator with Ecotherapy in Stanmer Park and now recently a Host at Plot22

I’ve personally experienced the healing power of being outdoors with hands in soil and sharing the experience with others which has brought me a lot of joy over the years. I enjoy meeting people from all walks of life who come together in green spaces to nurture, care and share what mother nature provides us with. I look forward to being part of the team at Plot22 growing, harvesting and cooking a lunch with fresh vegetables grown on the plot so that we can all share a lunch together.

I am a Certified Level 4 Mastercoach and Mum of a child with additional support needs. I specialise in supporting Mums of children with additional support needs and have a decade of expertise in therapeutic parenting, low-demand parenting and adoption. I have been coming to Plot 22 for about 5 years and am delighted to be running my group programme, Anchor: a seasonal self-care programme for Mums of children with additional support needs at the Plot this year. 

As well as being a home-ed Mum, I run my own coaching business, MotherNatureChild (www.mothernaturechild.com). I enjoy being outdoors as much as possible – gardening or walking in the woods, cold water swimming and watching Gladiators on a Saturday night with my son.

I am a Human Givens Psychotherapist. My experience includes over 12 years managing a project for people affected by homelessness, developing and delivering workshops and courses for mentoring, coaching and getting back into work; learning the craft of Stand Up (very scary!); being a director of two social enterprises; providing business consultancy to creative businesses; providing arts project management with museum and galleries in the South; training as a youth worker; project managing youth audience development for performing art centres and training as an artist.

As CEO, my main focus is ensuring as many people as possible can benefit from being part of Plot 22. Before joining the team here, I worked with local communities to create new public spaces. Success depended on combining disparate skills, people and interests to create vibrant places that worked for everyone. To paraphrase Jane Jacobs, the really special public places become stages for the rich ballet of daily life. With its vibrant mix of nature and community, Plot 22 fits that bill perfectly.

My passion for Nature is strongly rooted from my upbringing in a family who love gardening, walking and camping. Through many years of Hospice nursing I was convinced of the benefits of green space and the outdoors in alleviating anxiety and distress. I set up a Social and Therapeutic Horticulture group in Martlets and witnessed the benefits to a wide range of people. I love the magic of Plot 22. People seem to get just what they need whether digging, connecting with others or sitting quietly under the Cherry tree. I’m looking forward very much to many more years working alongside the inspiring people of Plot 22. I believe that Nature really does nurture.

I was a Trustee and Chair of the first committee formed early in 2015 for Plot22 to go forward and successfully be granted Charitable status. My first involvement with the Plot was from the previous year through my work at Conway Court Children’s Centre, supporting a group of families without access to a garden, who were keen to find a growing space to enjoy with their young children. It was such a lucky and lovely gift for us all to find the welcoming urban oasis of Plot22.

Since then, the original family gardening group of Nature’s Nippers has expanded and developed into the popular Grow & Play sessions led by local parents with a passion for children to have fun and enjoy being in a natural space while learning about growing their own fruits and vegetables. It is beautiful to see the continuing growth and expansion of the Plot itself and the many groups and individuals benefitting from such a precious community space as Plot 22. May it continue to “Live Long and Prosper!”

I first discovered the magic of Plot 22 in 2012, when I began bringing my family here to enjoy nature, seasonal change and creativity in community with others. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of being a Trustee, Chair and now a Host. Also working as an artist and coach, I’m continually inspired by the natural world and the sense of connection it brings.

Although not on the Weald site, I am an allotment holder and know first hand the benefits that come with growing and horticulture. I have a strong belief that too many people have been disconnected from nature and community, and need to be introduced back into both. So when I learned that Plot22 needed a new treasurer, I knew it was time to put my money where my mouth is. My background in finance allows me to do so. Visiting the site and meeting the people involved in this charity confirmed to me that I am part of something very special.

I have a background in social services and the probation service. I was a trainer for many years and have worked extensively within the field of domestic and sexual abuse. I first came to Plot 22 in 2015 as a volunteer looking for a shared gardening experience. I co-founded the Thyme and Space women’s project at the plot. I have also hosted a number of other projects and am currently acting as Garden lead. This involves supporting all of the Plot 22 projects and ensuring that the garden continues to thrive and be a source of pleasure to all who visit. I enjoy sharing the garden and helping people to relax and be in the moment. Cooking and sharing lunches outside is a particular joy.

I have worked as a community pharmacist and then a senior manager in the NHS and Adult Social Care. I also work as a coach and facilitator with the Recess College with individuals and small groups. I am a Director of Brighton and Hove Community Land Trust. I have had an allotment for more than 10 years. I want to support people to get involved in gardening and cooking together, getting people closer to the land and the food we eat. Being outdoors in good company is the best medicine!

I’ve worked and volunteered in the charity sector locally for many years and became increasingly interested in horticulture and in particular growing food and therapeutic gardening and supporting others in a garden or nature-based setting. I began volunteering at Plot 22 in 2020, and more particularly as a support volunteer with Growing Together in summer 2021.

In spring 2023 I was given the lovely opportunity to co-host extra Growing Together sessions with Jan and Dee. I currently also work at Landport Community Garden in Lewes, where we grow veg and fruit which are shared amongst volunteers, our local food bank and the community fridge, and I still volunteer at other food growing and therapeutic garden projects. I also work as a casual marriage registrar in Brighton and Hove!

For over 30 years, I have dedicated my career to supporting young people with Special Educational Needs, with a deep focus on neurodivergence.

Throughout my journey, I have seen that true learning and emotional wellbeing flourish when we step outside the constraints of traditional indoor settings.

Today, I use time in nature as a therapeutic foundation for development. In local primary schools, I lead Little Plotters sessions using the natural world as a calm, low-stimulus environment where children can decompress, regulate their emotions, and build social confidence.

The Benefits of Connecting with Nature for Neurodiverse .... Simultaneously, I work as a Job Coach, helping young adults ground themselves, discover their vocational strengths, and navigate the transition into employment with emotional resilience.  

I have been working in Countryside management /Conservation for the last 20 years and have always had a connection to the outdoors. In my time as a ranger I have supported a number of community projects professionally so I understand the importance of groups such as Plot 22 and their need for volunteer support. I am really impressed with the ethos of Plot 22.

I first discovered Plot 22 when I came along with my daughter to their Nature Discovery sessions, and I was instantly captivated by the place. It has such a unique atmosphere, and it’s wonderful to watch the way it works its quiet magic on everyone who takes part. I’m deeply passionate about the role time in nature plays in supporting positive mental wellbeing, and I’m truly delighted to be able to support Plot 22.

My background has always been in personal support, development through learning, and

rehabilitation services. These are the interests and experiences I bring to Plot 22 to share

with others. Plot 22 is a natural oasis of tranquillity, friendship and community. Sharing time

there with others can provide rest for the soul and stillness for the mind, and that’s one

reason I look to spend time in such a serene space. I can’t tell a Bluebell from a Begonia but

that doesn’t matter because everyone who visits the Plot brings something to the diverse

community. What I do know is that the rhubarb grown on site tastes good and goes great

with crumble and custard! My current interests and contributions lie in eco building and

construction. This includes re-using materials such as wood and other natural resources in a

creative and sustainable way. I am presently part of the construction group that works within

the principles of Plot 22 to recycle materials to improve and develop the fabric of the site.

I have a background in psychology and experience working across many applied healthcare and translational research settings. I particularly like to work in collaboration with adults experiencing chronic pain, cognitive impairment and/or social isolation. I have an interest in creative health, ecotherapy, and holistic approaches to wellbeing. Over the last few years, through both my work and personal life, I developed a particular appreciation for the power of nature and community to help ease the impact of stress, pain, and illness. It's an honour to be part of Plot 22 and support the Thyme and Space and Growing Together sessions. When not at Plot 22, I work on my research, provide support to adults living with dementia, and spend further time outdoors at a local stables co-facilitating equine-assisted therapy sessions.

Jiva has been teaching mindfulness since 2009, has an MSc in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, and has been meditating since 1997.

We are delighted that Jiva is offering some mindfulness in nature sessions at Plot 22 in 2026.

Find out more about Jiva at www.mindfulnessbrighton.co.uk.

Jiva is joining the wider Plot 22 team to offer some mindfulness in nature sessions in 2026.

I am a chartered occupational/organisational psychologist and an integrative arts psychotherapist/eco therapist with over thirty years experience of working with individuals, groups and organisations.

I describe my work as ’simply elemental’ providing a robust relaxed environment for learning, creating and relating naturally. My passion is supporting my clients to establish a natural balance and rhythm in both their personal and professional lives, as a way of supporting wellbeing and encouraging their full creative potential to unfold with ease.

This is the approach I bring to plot 22 (initially supporting as a mentor for several years) prior to becoming a Trustee. it is an honour to be part of this much respected community project. I am also a beekeeper, poet and celebrant.