About Us
Nurturing Our Community CIC
Nurturing Our Community - Our Story
NOC began five years ago during the COVID-19 lockdown, at a time when uncertainty around food access, isolation, and wellbeing was widely felt.
A group of people approached Lawrence with a request for help in finding alternative ways to achieve food stability during lockdown. What began as practical guidance quickly revealed a deeper need — not just for growing food, but for connection, support, and shared purpose.
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Rather than stopping at short-term solutions, Lawrence envisioned a long-term, community-owned project that could support people well beyond crisis. The idea was simple but powerful: bring people together, support one another, and use shared activity in nature to address loneliness and wellbeing challenges.
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From this vision, NOC was formed.
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Over time, the project expanded beyond food growing into a wider programme of horticultural workshops, seed saving, volunteering, and nature-based wellbeing activities. In the summer of 2024, the project entered a new phase when Kim joined Lawrence, and NOC began to truly blossom at Robin’s Nest, where horticulture, equine-assisted learning, and community wellbeing now come together.
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Today, NOC continues to grow organically, shaped by the people who take part and guided by real community needs rather than fixed outcomes.
What We Do?
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Horticulture & Growing Workshops
Practical, beginner-friendly sessions covering seed sowing, seed saving, propagation, and seasonal food growing. -
Seed Collection & Preservation
Supporting biodiversity and food resilience through accessible, traditional skills. -
Equine-Assisted Learning
Gentle, non-riding interactions with ponies to support emotional awareness, confidence, and calm. -
Non-Technology Wellbeing Retreats (Pilot)
Screen-free retreats focused on nature, shared meals, learning, and simple living. -
Volunteering & Community Participation
Opportunities for individuals and groups to contribute, learn, and belong.
About Us
Nurturing Our Community (NOC) is a community-led initiative that uses nature, food growing, and shared experience to support wellbeing, connection, and resilience. We create inclusive, welcoming spaces where people can slow down, learn practical skills, and reconnect — with the land, with animals, and with each other.
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Our work is rooted in the belief that wellbeing grows through connection, purpose, and community ownership.
Our Farms and Community
At present, Nurturing Our Community (NOC) operates across privately owned fields that have been generously made available to the project by members of the community who support our aims. The use of this land has been donated to enable NOC to deliver growing, wellbeing, and community activities for public benefit.
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These fields are not commercial farms but shared community growing spaces, where people come together to learn, grow food, care for the land, and support one another. By working in partnership with landowners, NOC is able to create accessible, low-cost opportunities for community participation while remaining rooted in local support and collaboration.
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This model reflects NOC’s values of cooperation, trust, and community ownership, allowing the project to grow sustainably while staying closely connected to the people it serves.
Our Mission
To Create welcoming, community-owned spaces where people come together through nature and food growing to support well being, reduce loneliness, and strengthen connection - shaped by the people for the community.
Our Approach
We prioritise:
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People before productivity
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Wellbeing over performance
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Learning through doing
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Respect for nature, animals, and each other
Participation is always supportive, inclusive, and paced to the individual.
Meet The Founders
Lawrence Camilleri
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Lawrence is a grower, educator, and community organiser who uses horticulture as a tool for wellbeing, resilience, and connection.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, Lawrence was asked to help members of the community find alternative ways to achieve food stability. Rather than offering short-term solutions, he envisioned a long-term, community-owned project that would support people practically, socially, and emotionally.
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Lawrence leads NOC’s horticultural and community programmes, with a focus on seed sowing, seed saving, food growing, and creating welcoming learning environments for people of all abilities.
Meet The Founders
Kim Johnson
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Kim is a former educator who transitioned into alternative and nature-based therapies, specialising in equine-assisted learning. Alongside her professional background, Kim rescued four ponies, which now form the foundation of her therapeutic work. Through calm, non-riding interactions, she supports emotional awareness, confidence, trust, and self-regulation.
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In the summer of 2024, Kim and Lawrence brought their complementary skills and shared values together, and the NOC project began to flourish at Robin’s Nest. Kim plays a key role in shaping the site as a safe, nurturing space for people, animals, and community.
Looking Ahead
NOC is developing steadily through collaboration, volunteering, and partnership. Many of our activities are delivered as pilot projects, supported by donations, fundraising, and community involvement.
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If our story resonates and you would like to get involved, volunteer, or work with us, we would love to hear from you.
