Awakening and Blooming Together: Reflections from Our Spring Wellbeing Community Events
After a long winter of hibernating indoors, spring has arrived in Sheffield with warmth, colour, and the gentle reminder that growth often begins quietly. Over the past couple of months, our Wellbeing Community has came together for two uplifting seasonal gatherings - AWAKEN and BLOOM - each offering space to reconnect with ourselves, with nature, and with one another.
Both events reminded me how powerful it can be simply to gather together, share food, try something new, and spend time in good company without pressure or expectation.
AWAKEN — 27th March
AWAKEN took place on one of the first truly glorious sunny days Sheffield had seen after the long winter months. The timing could not have been more perfect. There was something so hopeful about feeling the warmth of the sun again while spending time outdoors together.
We were welcomed by members of the Oasis Gardening for Mental Health group, and it was lovely to meet and work alongside them. People naturally found the activities that suited their energy levels and interests and Fran from Oasis was utterly fantastic helping us get to grips and dive in to the tasks at hand. Some of us enjoyed gardening tasks at the allotment - digging, planting, tidying, and getting their hands properly dirty in the soil — while others preferred gentler activities like repotting seedlings (including myself!)
For many of us, these were things we had not done for a very long time, or perhaps had never really tried before. There was something deeply grounding about reconnecting with the earth after months spent mostly indoors. The simple act of working with soil, plants, and fresh air seemed to gently awaken something in all of us. For me, as I looked around the table when we gathered for a well deserved cup of tea and picnic food, I felt such a strong sense of gratitude awakened and alive in me - grateful simply to be there with everyone. Mental health issues can be the loneliest place, and the huge contrast from extremely isolated periods of my life in the past to that day in March is something that has been helping me on days since when the sun maybe isn’t shining as brightly in me.
What I loved most was how relaxed and accepting the atmosphere felt. There was no pressure to do anything in particular. We could move between activities, rest when needed, chat over food, or simply enjoy being present in the sunshine. New connections formed naturally as we worked side by side.
AWAKEN felt like the moment just before the next inhale after the long exhale of autumn and winter - a reminder that community, nature, and shared experiences can help us emerge from that hibernation gently and together.
BLOOM — 8th May
Our second gathering, BLOOM, took place in the calming environment of the atrium at Scotia Works, surrounded by wonderful indoor trees and plants and the glass ceiling letting light pool down from high above.
Held a week after Beltane - the ancient May Day festival celebrating life, fertility, and the fullness of spring - BLOOM became our own gentle celebration of this vibrant time of year.
I might have been quite excited about the idea of celebrating around an outdoor fire, or dancing around a maypole, but you might be relieved to hear this idea was ultimately vetoed in our planning meeting!! Instead, we incorporated colourful ribbons in a different way: using them to wrap around the bouquets we all worked on individually.
Tammy had brought an incredible abundance of flowers - a truly beautiful variety of colours, textures, and scents. We spent time together sorting through them all before each person chose the flowers they felt drawn to for their own personal bouquet.
There was something so nourishing about being creative in this calm and friendly atmosphere. The space felt soft, relaxed, and welcoming. We laughed, chatted, concentrated quietly at times, and simply enjoyed the experience of making something beautiful with our hands.
One phrase that stayed with me throughout the day was the idea of “giving ourselves flowers.” Creating bouquets to take home felt symbolic somehow - an act of care, appreciation, and gentleness towards ourselves.
Tammy and I, who were facilitating the event, were also deeply touched when one member of our community made bouquets especially for us. It was such a thoughtful and generous gesture. Thank you!
We finished with a reflection from Environmental Arts Therapy and the Tree of Life: A Monthly Guide for Your Soul’s Journey on This Beautiful Earth by Ian Siddons Heginworth, followed by a short body-based practice. Together, we explored the idea of ourselves as rooted trees - grounded through strong roots and a sturdy trunk, yet still able to bend with the wind. From that stable foundation, our branches and leaves can continue to grow and bloom outwards into the world. We were invited to reflect on what we might need to bloom and grow as we move through late spring and into summer We reminded ourselves that growth can only happen if we find ways to meet our basic human needs, needs which include connection as well as privacy; safety and also creativity; movement as well as rest.
It felt like a fitting way to end: grounded, connected, creative, and gently flourishing.
Here is the excerpt from Ian’s book, from Chapter 7, May:
All around us now a great passion stirs in the land. The sun and the earth wrap themselves around each other like lovers. The great ferns uncoil and stretch, like serpents in the sun. The wildflowers adorn the land like a scattering of jewels. The trees begin to drop their soft silks, their gentle rainbow blossoms, and enrobe themselves in rich and luxuriant greens. There are so many layers to this ocean of green, incandescent limes that blaze in the sunshine, deep velvet shadows full of turquoise, greens that shine and shimmer like glass, greens that sparkle like emeralds. The dam is breached and life floods out, unrestrained and joyful, surging like a great green wave from soil and bark, just as foliage tumbles from the mouths of the Green men that adorn our ancient churches. The fullness of spring is unleashed. Beltane is here.
(for more info on the Green Man mentioned here, see this article on Historic UK Website!)
Looking Ahead
These gatherings have reminded me how important it is to create spaces where we can simply be - without pressure, without needing to perform, and with room for different energy levels, emotions, and ways of engaging.
Whether through gardening, creativity, shared food, conversation, or quiet reflection, both AWAKEN and BLOOM offered moments of connection and care that many of us will carry forward into the months ahead.
Thank you to everyone who came along, shared their time, energy, creativity, and openness, and helped make these days so special. We are already looking forward to what we might grow together this Summer at our
SHINE event on Friday Jun 19 6pm-7.30pm, and
CREATE event on Friday Jul 31 6pm-7.30pm.
For more information on how to join the community or come along to any of our events please click here
