How growing food helped one woman find hope during cancer recovery
It started with a seed of hope. For Helen, growing food became a way to regain confidence and look forward again, during and after cancer treatment. She found more than just a hobby: she found a seed of hope.
Every community project starts somewhere. With a conversation. A cup of tea. A few people asking, “What if we tried this?” Or simply noticing what the local community needs.
The National Lottery Community Fund is celebrating those starts – the moments when people come together and decide to act. Because even small actions can grow into something that really makes a difference.
Across Derry / Londonderry, communities are taking environmental action in their own ways, in their own places. Not waiting for permission. Just getting on with it. Along the way, people are finding benefits they didn’t expect – improvements to health, learning new skills, feeling more connected and finding joy in the places they call home.
Helen was already thinking about change when something unexpected happened.
She had a growing awareness of climate change and concerns about modern diets dominated by processed food. She wanted to eat more sustainably but found it difficult to make that intention stick.
Her search led her to the Acorn Farm – I Can Grow programme, supported by the Climate Action Fund, which supports communities across the UK to act on climate change and involve more people in environmental action. The project helps hundreds of households across the Derry / Londonderry and Strabane district council area to grow their own food at home.
Just days before joining the project, Helen received a cancer diagnosis. As she began treatment and recovery, growing food at home became more than an interest. It gave her something steady, hopeful and practical to focus on, one small step at a time.
For Helen, growing food became a way to regain confidence and look forward again, during and after cancer treatment. She found more than just a hobby: she found a seed of hope.
Finding something to hold onto
Helen heard about the Acorn Farm – I Can Grow programme through her local community in Derry / Londonderry. Knowing it was on her doorstep made it feel possible, even at a time when her energy and confidence were low.
The project encourages people to start where they are, use the space they have and learn as they go. For Helen, that gentle approach made growing feel achievable. She was keen to get her hands dirty and connect with nature, so Acorn Farm was just the place.
The power of community
Helen didn’t do this alone. The project offered support from staff who took the time to explain techniques, answer questions and encourage people to give things a go.
An online community meant she could connect with others and share progress. She could also learn from different experiences without regular face-to-face sessions. Alongside growing at home, Helen also took part in cooking sessions and a horticultural course, gaining skills along the way.
Keeping it going
Two years on, Helen continues to grow. She experiments with different crops – potatoes, radishes, leeks, lettuce and rhubarb – and feels more confident trying new recipes. Like radish soup, a new experiment!
What began during a difficult period has become part of her everyday life.
“I’ve only got a tiny space, but I’ve grown so much. The project encourages people who are curious or want to try. We grow things, pot plants and learn together. It might seem small, but I firmly believe that every wee bit we do counts,” Helen says.
Get started
We support environmental projects of all shapes and sizes. We offer grants from £300 up to £20,000 through our open Awards for All programme to grants over £500,000 through our Climate Action Fund.
Find out more about environment funding in your area and apply. To learn more about The National Community Fund, visit their website or Facebook page.