Tales from Tortworth Arboretum – Claire’s story

Time in nature, connection with others, and creative activities have helped Claire move from daily anger and stress to feeling calmer and more supported, as well as helping her to change her drinking habits. Over two years, the project has become a vital space for her to recharge and cope with stresses at home. 

“I absolutely love it here.”

Claire joined the project in 2023, at a time when life felt unpredictable and heavy. “I used to do the school run, then go drinking with my friends,” she said. “But that changed when I started coming here.”

One of the biggest shifts for Claire has been around her anger. “I had so much rage in me,” she said. “I’d go off over nothing.” A year later, she reflects on how far she’s come. “I don’t have as much anger as I used to—no, not at all. I’m more relaxed.”

The project gives her space to pause and reset. “There’s always something at home—either with my son at secondary school, or my youngest”. In 2024, Claire shared that her 17-year-old daughter was expecting a baby. “I’m gonna be a granny. I was crying, then happy, then crying again… it was all sorts.” Having time outdoors and space to talk has been a steadying influence for Claire. “Doing different activities with Kelly has been amazing. It takes my mind off things.”

Parenting has brought challenges. Claire’s son was born seven weeks early, and over the years they’ve worked through diagnoses of cerebral palsy, ADHD and most recently partial sight loss. “It’s taken 11 years to get a diagnosis. They thought he was autistic—but he’s not. He just can’t see on one side.”

Coming here gives Claire something she doesn’t get elsewhere. “It just pushes everything away. I can concentrate on… Kelly’s ideas. We made curds and whey the other week—it tasted vile but I told her, ‘Yeah it’s really nice, well done!’” she laughs.  Craft activities help her stay creative at home, too, and she’ll have a go at the things she has learnt when she gets back home.

She also feels a connection to the land. “It’s all starting to bloom again. You’ll never forget the garlic smell. The other week I went to the toilet and a tree was covering it—I was like, that wasn’t like that before! It’s always changing.”

Her only suggestion? “It’d be nice to see more of what we do on a Thursday on Instagram. We noticed it’s more about the women’s group.”

The project has become a vital part of her week. “It’s just a nice group of people. You don’t feel judged. You can just be you.”