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Whatever the weather! How Community Gardening Supports Wellbeing at Barnet Mencap
The Sunflower Challenge is one of many inclusive community gardening projects that the Barnet Council in London take part within.
At Barnet Mencap, the Sunflower Challenge became much more than simply growing flowers.
This is part of their Community Opportunities Project for people aged 18 and over with learning disabilities and/or autism. It has created routine, conversation, teamwork and a shared sense of achievement among staff and clients alike.
The gardening group has been running at the Hendon location for around three years; open to everyone from 11am on Tuesdays, they aim to bring gardening projects and people together to care for plants, grow vegetables and work collaboratively outdoors, whatever the weather. Come rain or shine, these volunteers go out every week to spread gardening joy in their neighbourhood.
Pauline Goodwin, who has worked with Barnet Mencap since 2003 across multiple projects including Equality Housing, outreach and children’s services, described how the space has transformed over time.
When we came here originally, first, there was nothing. But we grew it. And we all worked on it.
Together TV’s Sunflower Challenge naturally became part of that shared effort. The participants at Barnet Mencap planted seeds at different times so that flowers would bloom throughout the season, creating a project everyone could contribute to together.
What we did was we counted different seeds at different times. So that’s why we’ve got really big ones and little ones. It’s good because then when they die, we’ll still have more.
The project also helped strengthen social connection and routine for attendees.
When asked whether they agreed that the campaign brought people together they agreed: “Definitely, definitely.”
Their efforts first began on a casual basis but as the demand grew so did they. “We actually used to do this once a fortnight. And I said, "We need to do it weekly. The rain, the snow, we’re out here.”
For many participants, gardening offered a calming, hands-on activity that encouraged teamwork and conversation. Throughout the session, there was constant laughter, storytelling and encouragement between the group members.
I’m not a gardener. I’ve just had to get on with this. I’ve had no training.
I feel like you don’t really need courses to get involved in gardening. You just get stuck in.
The conversation also reflected the sense of pride and ownership the group has developed over the space, with members helping one another tie stems, move pots and rescue damaged plants.
As long as it has roots, you can put it back in.
The Sunflower Challenge has also helped Barnet Mencap connect with wider communities online. Pauline explained that she originally discovered the challenge through Instagram, highlighting how social media is increasingly helping older audiences discover community projects and activities.
At its heart, the project demonstrates how gardening can create much more than plants — it creates confidence, friendship, structure and joy.
From finding the right green string to protecting sunflowers from the weather, every small moment contributed to a bigger sense of community.
There are thousands of community groups across the UK, doing an amazing work of keeping people interested in gardening for their local community. At Together TV we have gathered a selection of them and if you join the Sunflower Challenge, we have a map available to you.
With the Sunflower Challenge in full swing, we’ve encouraged communities across the country to get involved and share their progress. If you’d like to take part in the Sunflower Challenge with your own seeds, you can sign up here.
Barnet Mencap's Sunflower Challenge
Meet the passionate growers of Barnet Mencap.
