Four environmental initiatives across Devon have been selected as finalists in the environmental category of a major regional awards scheme recognising community leaders transforming their neighbourhoods through conservation and sustainable practices.
The Growing Well Garden in Bow, Sampford Peverell Tree Wardens in mid-Devon, Shallowford Farm on Dartmoor, and Sustainable Hatherleigh are among projects being recognised for making their communities more eco-friendly, wilder and healthier. The environmental finalists were officially announced in early July 2026, with winners due to be announced on 24 September at Buckfast Abbey.
The four organisations are pursuing their goals through diverse methods ranging from tree planting and vegetable cultivation to leading wildlife surveys and reconnecting people with natural spaces.
How is therapeutic gardening improving patient care?
Growing Well Garden operates as part of a green social prescribing initiative, where horticultural activity serves as a healing intervention and enables healthcare professionals to engage with patients in settings beyond the traditional clinic. Dr Susan Taheri, an NHS general practitioner at Bow Medical Practice and founder of Growing Well Garden, established the project to revitalise her approach to medicine. The garden specialises in therapeutic horticulture, creating a space where clinical encounters take on a different character.
Dr Taheri reflected on the project's philosophy, stating
the most important thing we grow in our garden is people and connections. She described the garden as her
happy placeand noted that the outdoor setting permits a more relaxed approach to hygiene and interaction than a consulting room would allow.
There's a lot more getting your hands dirty and not worrying too much about germs, she explained. The initiative has reinvigorated her professional practice and demonstrated measurable benefits for patient wellbeing.
What role does Shallowford Farm play in rural education?
Shallowford Farm, situated in the heart of Dartmoor, works to make rural living and agriculture accessible to young people who may have limited exposure to countryside environments. Charles Staniland, a retired horticulturalist, renewed a garden and now helps young people care for it, drawing on decades of horticultural expertise to mentor the next generation.
Staniland's childhood passion for the outdoors now drives his volunteer work at the farm, where he teaches young people to engage directly with food production and understand agriculture beyond supermarket shelves. He emphasised that his goal is to demonstrate how food reaches the table through human effort and environmental stewardship, encouraging participants to take active roles in cultivation.
It takes people out of a concrete environment - it's a very good first step into a greener environment, he said, expressing his hope that the project will
encourage a new generation to understand and value the world around them.
How are tree wardens protecting local woodland?
Sampford Peverell Tree Wardens function as an independent, volunteer-driven conservation group dedicated to safeguarding and enhancing the parish's tree and hedge cover. The wardens plant, protect and maintain trees and hedges on publicly owned land, working collaboratively with local councils and private landowners to expand the green infrastructure.
The group has planted approximately 750 trees designed to function as a wildlife corridor, facilitating movement and habitat connectivity for local fauna. For Pete Drew and fellow wardens, environmental stewardship represents a community responsibility rooted in local pride.
It takes pride in where you live and making local spaces better for everyone, Drew explained, reflecting the group's philosophy that conservation efforts strengthen neighbourhood bonds and improve quality of life for all residents.
What initiatives does Sustainable Hatherleigh undertake?
Sustainable Hatherleigh operates a diverse portfolio of community-focused environmental programmes addressing conservation, waste reduction and social resilience. The organisation leads wildlife surveys, promotes wildflower establishment and biodiversity enhancement in the local graveyard, manages community composting schemes, and operates a repair café encouraging residents to extend product lifecycles rather than discard items.
The group's site in the town centre has achieved formal recognition as a county wildlife site, validating its conservation impact. Jo Pullin and the broader Sustainable Hatherleigh team are working to establish a resilient, environmentally sustainable future for the locality through practical community engagement and habitat restoration.
When will the awards be announced?
The Make a Difference Awards recognise local environmental champions, with the Environmental Award honouring people or groups who improve or conserve their local environment. Winners across all categories will be announced on 24 September at Buckfast Abbey, with the awards hosted by BBC local and nations radio stations.
The four finalists—Jo Pullin from Sustainable Hatherleigh, Dr Susan Taheri from Growing Well Garden, Charles Staniland from Shallowford Farm and Pete Drew from Sampford Peverell Tree Wardens—represent the calibre of environmental leadership being recognised across Devon this year.
