Blog: Cultivating Wellbeing in the Workplace
Freddie in Alderley Park’s Community Kitchen Garden
Hanna Sillitoe
Female founder embraces gardening at alderley park
Meet Hanna and her little boy Freddie.
Entrepreneur and well-being enthusiast, Hanna Sillitoe is relatively new to Alderley Park and has been making the most of the warmer weather at our new on-site Community Kitchen Garden. With a love for growing veg in her own cottage garden in Derbyshire, Hanna has been busy blending that work / life balance, by bringing gardening to work.
Freddie comes to work with Hanna most days and loves wandering through the wild-flower meadow on Glasshouse Walk to the Community Kitchen Garden to do a bit of digging or watering in the veg patch. Combining her love of gardening with her role as a working mother, Hanna creates an inclusive environment where children, like her son Freddie, are welcomed at work - redefining workplace culture, championing work-life balance and supporting personal growth.
Hanna encourages her staff to take time out in nature and do the same. Need more convincing? Here are her five favourite reasons to get you and your team involved in the garden…
Five Reasons to Promote Gardening to Your Team
Boost your Vitamin D intake; just half an hour in the sunshine can provide your daily dose.
Use your muscles; Did you know that gardening uses every major muscle group in the body? Studies show that those of us who get out and garden are more likely to get an uninterrupted 7 hours of sleep, in turn making us more productive at work.
Gardening can boost our mood and increase self-esteem whilst lowering depression & anxiety.
Community gardens help us form new friendships and offer a sense of personal well-being.
Planting, nurturing and harvesting seedlings fosters accomplishment and makes us feel a little more in tune with the nature that surrounds us.
Female founders like Hanna inspire with their ability to integrate their passions into their work and create a welcoming environment for all. So, whether you are a seasoned gardener, or simply eager to dip your toes into the world of horticulture, pop down to the Alderley Park Community Kitchen Garden and get planting!
Join Hanna, Freddie, and the rest of the team as they embark on a journey of personal and professional growth, embracing the joys of gardening and reaping the benefits of a workplace focused on wellbeing.