What has Grow Wild achieved so far?
Since 2013, over four million people have joined Grow Wild online and on the ground. We’ve won multiple national awards for our scale, impact and creativity.
Children, young people and adults across the UK have achieved positive behavioural change for the environment after leading their own Grow Wild activities, as shown by independent evaluation.
Together, we’ve delivered new appreciation for UK native plants and fungi through growing and sharing, plus new community and wellbeing benefits. This impact is lasting, with most people attributing Grow Wild as their catalyst for taking more positive actions years after taking part.
Since 2014 Grow Wild has distributed more than £1 million pounds in project grants.
We also have a lively online community, with our monthly newsletter reaching over 150K people and 50K social media followers.
The current focus for Grow Wild is offering funding, knowledge sharing and networking opportunities to support community and youth-led activity that responds to local needs. We focus on engaging underrepresented audiences, particularly those in urban and disadvantaged areas and communities who have not had the opportunity to connect with nature.
- Grow Wild has supported 396 community groups across the UK since 2014, with grants, training and knowledge sharing.
- Projects are all unique, but with the common goals to improve local biodiversity and benefit people. Groups all grow some UK native species as part of their activity.
- Since 2022, 3900+ people have directly engaged in the projects, through volunteering or taking part in activities and events.
- In 2023, research into the long-term impact of the Grow Wild Community Programme identified some common outcomes experienced by many of the groups consulted:
- People are continuing to care for previously neglected built up areas.
- Natural spaces are more accessible.
- There are more opportunities for people to learn about horticulture.
- Organisations have increased their nature-based activities and have the skills and confidence to deliver them.
- Organisations have recruited and retained more volunteers.
- Participants in activities supported by Grow Wild (including volunteers) are making social connections and enjoying improved health and wellbeing.
- Organisations have made local partnerships that are helping them to achieve more than they could alone. viii. People (volunteers and employees) who have been involved in delivering Grow Wild projects are taking their experience to other organisations and projects.
- Grow Wild gives out grants to young people to run their own projects inspired by UK native plants and fungi. We've supported 362 young people since 2014.
- After running their own project, most young people have said the greatest impacts were improved community pride, teamwork and collaboration and new environmental knowledge and skills
- Young people have developed new relationships and connections with other people and their communities, including new friends outside their usual groups. This combined with growing plants and connecting with nature has resulted in wellbeing benefits, especially reducing and having a break from stress.
- Many participants also complete the Kew Young Environmental Leader Award.
- We’ve co-created opportunities for 1,200 people to train and connect at 40 events since 2017. People rated our events as an 8.8 out of 10 for usefulness and 95 per cent said they’ll do something new or different as a result.
- We want to change attitudes and empower people to take positive actions by connecting them with each other and nature. We share new ways for people to enjoy UK native plants and fungi.
- We’ve inspired nearly five million online actions for UK native plants and fungi, including one million by people aged 12–25.
- Our digital engagement often creates the initial (and sometime unexpected) experience for people to engage with nature through content, games and online communities. Many people go on to take part in further activities with Grow Wild and our partner organisations.
- 1.62 million people have come together to grow wildflowers in shared urban spaces, 21 per cent of whom were aged 12–25 – as well as more young people involved through their schools. This is thanks to 67,000 groups sharing 307,000 kits between 2014 and 2021.
- The greatest impact is on those who grow wildflowers, especially learning and new social connections, and this impact is lasting with continued actions. The wider community also benefit by enjoying the wildflower space with flowers year after year.
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Between 2016 and 2021, 101,000 people have come to together to grow edible mushrooms using our indoor kits, 23 per cent of whom were aged 12–25 – as well as more young people involved through their schools. This is thanks to 15,000 groups sharing 20,000 kits.
For access to our annual reports, please get in touch with us.