“We spend so much of our time treating disease and illness but this is about creating health,” said Dan Rainbow, a Sticent GP, describing a new approach to patient care.
Patients with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes in Cornwall are receiving free weekly vegetable boxes alongside group cooking and gardening sessions through a new pilot scheme called WellFed, The Guardian reported. More than 100 people have taken part across 20 sites in Cornwall, learning to prepare high-fiber meals while health workers monitor improvements in blood sugar and body weight.
The project operates from Launceston to the Isles of Scilly, accepting referrals from more than 20 general practices. Participants engage in hands-on cooking classes and community gardening work, shifting away from processed convenience foods toward fresh, locally grown produce.
Participants report lower blood glucose and HbA1c levels
Chris Longthorp, a 74-year-old participant from St Ives, said his blood glucose level dropped from 50 to 42 since joining the programme. “I feel fitter and coming to these sessions is fun,” Longthorp told The Guardian.
Diabetes UK notes that an HbA1c reading exceeding 48 places individuals at elevated risk for complications affecting the eyes, kidneys, and feet.
Other attendees reported similar health shifts after replacing diets rich in sweet items and processed meals with pulses, vegetables, and salads.
Michael Waller, a 64-year-old participant, said his HbA1c level decreased from 64 to 47 after he avoided conventional medication in favor of the community garden sessions. Tracey Lyne, a 67-year-old participant from Truro, described the gardening work as a green gym that encouraged physical activity alongside dietary changes.
Report shows improved HbA1c levels and participant wellbeing
A preliminary impact report from the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations found that most participants experienced a drop in HbA1c levels, shifting the group average from the diabetic range down into the prediabetic range. “WellFed participants described eating a healthier diet, feeling more confident about their health condition and how to manage it, and how their wellbeing improved,” the report said.
Volunteer Cornwall delivers the initiative with funding from Cornwall council public health and the NHS in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Health authorities across other regions of the United Kingdom are monitoring the pilot to determine whether to replicate the model elsewhere.
Common Questions About the WellFed Programme
Who is eligible to join the WellFed scheme?
General practitioners from participating surgeries nominate patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes who can benefit from dietary and lifestyle interventions.
Where do the cooking and gardening sessions take place?
Sessions run at 20 different sites across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, including community orchards in St Ives and community gardens in Porthtowan.
What organizations fund and support the project?
The initiative is delivered by Volunteer Cornwall and receives financial backing from Cornwall council public health as well as the local NHS.
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