About

Mission Statement

Our mission is to empower communities and businesses to co-create living green spaces that nurture wellbeing, support education, champion environmental stewardship, and open pathways to employment. By fostering a spirit of collaboration and shared purpose, we cultivate the conditions where healthy, connected, and thriving cultures can naturally flourish.

Vision Statement

Our Vision is a world where every community has access to vibrant green spaces that nourish the body, mind, and spirit — places where people and businesses unite as citizens for good, where learning leads to opportunity, and where collective action grows a future of shared wellbeing, sustainability and hope.

Libby Hilling

Libby Hilling envisioned the Garden for Mind after experiencing firsthand the healing power of gardens on both physical and mental well-being. As a young child, she lost her father to cancer and witnessed the kindness of strangers who transformed a sea of mud into a beautiful garden for her grieving family. Later, as an adult, she turned to her own garden for solace during a four-year career break caused by a medical injury, finding it instrumental in her recovery.

When Libby returned to work and joined the John Lewis Partnership, she realised that working for a purpose-driven business gave her the opportunity to use her skills and expertise to make a meaningful impact. She saw a chance to create something truly special. This led her to spearhead a community project on the Leckford Estate, where the Garden for Mind was born—a tranquil, lasting space designed to support charities, provide a sanctuary for the community, and nurture local wildlife.

Beyond promoting well-being and biodiversity, the garden plays a vital role in addressing food poverty. Fresh produce grown in the garden is donated to the local Food Partnership, ensuring access to nutritious food for the community. It also provides a valuable learning environment for students with special educational needs, giving them the opportunity to connect with nature and gain hands-on work experience. By helping them develop skills that support future employment, the garden fosters inclusivity and empowerment, ensuring a lasting impact on both people and the environment.

The Garden for Mind is a lasting legacy of care, connection, and regeneration.