Our Impact

"I wish I could bottle the essence of this group and put it on the NHS".

Stone Soup

A plate of vegetables on a checker table cloth

SAGE has recently finished a 9 month Arts Council funded project with local
ceramicist and art therapist Emilie Taylor. 10 participants worked with Emilie
exploring feelings and supporting each other while creating pottery and
sharing food and stories. The project culminated in an exhibition, and was
accompanied by a film by local film maker Zoe Kinross.


The project was based on the folk tale Stone Soup in which a traveller
encourages villagers to each contribute an ingredient to his pot, resulting in a
delicious soup. From small individual contributions something wonderful was
created. Bringing people together in this project enabled them to support each
other and create together, like the soup, the project has produced results
bigger than the sum of its parts.

You can watch the film at the following link : https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/870089269 Using the password stone2023

The project was made possible by Arts Council funding, which Trustee Clare McManus secured.
Many thanks to Clare, and Emilie, Zoe and the participants for making this a success.

What our members think:

'Here I find solace'

Greenfingers - By Katria

I like the gardening

When the weather is fine

When the grass is green

When the tree is greenish

When the crops are ready to eat

When the sky is clear

When the people are moving and moving

When the sun is shinnying

When the shower is raining

When the butterfly is flying on the flower

When the flower is smelling so and so nice

And that smelling makes my mind smile and smile.

Singing through the Seasons Group - 'I love the singing group - it's everything to me'

Singing Through the Seasons

I like when the weather is mild

I like when the people are chatting and chatting again and again

I like when people are moving and moving on

I like when the people are singing and singing and clapping their hands

I like when people are saying together in one voice

We are stronger and stronger now and beyond

And I would like to say

Laugh and laugh and laugh

it so much then you will never think again and again

Our Successes

We are most proud of...

  • SAGE being pioneers in Green Prescribing movement, recognising the benefits of engagement with creativity & green spaces to support an individual's mental health.
  • SAGE was set up during the original  £52 million Burngreave New Deal for Community funding, and we have continued to deliver our services to today.
  • We work with members to support their mental health and are flexible and responsive to members changing needs.
  • The relationships and trust we build with our members which leads to increases in their self-esteem and confidence. This aims to support them to make progress and undertake new activities and experiences.
  • The stories our members tell us about how key we have been in them turning their lives around.
  • We adapt to and respond to the needs members bring. Members don't have to fit into our model or activities, we support and encourage them to engage in their areas of interest, which we hope will lead to reduced social isolation and improved well-being and resilience.

We are proud to have various connections with other organisations that also aim to support mental health of individuals in Sheffield. These organisations include:

  • local GP surgeries (such as Pitsmoor Surgery),
  • The Mental Health Partnership Network,
  • ASSIST Sheffield (for people who are seeking sanctuary and who have been refused asylum),
  • S.O.D.I.T- User led women's mental health charity supporting women with depression and related mental health distress in& South Yorkshire.
  • Sheffield Flourish - works on digital and community projects focused on mental health
  • Green City Action.- support mental health & well-being through connections with green spaces.

Telling our stories

We love tell you how we are making a difference, but would rather leave it up to our members, volunteers and staff to tell you.

What they say about us?

Let us have a look at what everyone else is saying about us.

We're hiring! Group Support Worker at Sage Greenfingers

Sage Greenfingers is hiring a therapeutic horticulture group support worker.

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Job opportunity, arts support worker "Stone Soup"

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Sheffield allotments bring rewarding activity to people with mental health problems

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How a Sheffield charity is using gardening to help manage mental health

Gardening therapy to help individuals improve physical and mental well-being

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Gardening rather than drugs

Anxiety and depression why doctors are prescribing gardening rather than drugs

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