Spring into gardening with a new Tir Coed course

by Alice Read

Powys Co-ordinator, Tir Coed

There is no doubt Spring is in the air with blossom bursting and birdsong floating on the breeze. Time to stretch our limbs and make some friends.

Last April the learning and wellbeing outdoors charity Tir Coed launched its Sustainable Horticulture course at Cultivate in Newtown, North Powys. This 20 week course covers 4 AGORED units growing a range of crops for people and nature, over a growing season. The course covers everything you need to know from assessing a site through to harvesting practices. Purposeful practical learning can build confidence and lead to employment or volunteering.

Tir Coed’s mantra is to connect people to the land and woods with a focus on improved wellbeing through practical outdoor training. Everyone engaging with Tir Coed gets outdoors, meets new people and develops their appreciation for nature, all of which have wellbeing outcomes.

Tir Coed is experienced in working with some of the hardest to reach in our society and over the last twenty years has developed a comprehensive engagement model that supports people as they develop, from first step engagement through to employment. 

As the plants start producing in the developing garden participants take home the food they have grown to cook, store or share with friends and the project mentor also opens up avenues to explore on other projects, work or courses. 

You may have seen some of the participants recently on the popular BBC television programme Countryfile as they take their next steps volunteering at Ponthafren’s community garden at Powis Castle. You can read about this garden in a post from June last year - Wellbeing Wednesdays at Powis Castle.

The incredible tutors on this latest horticultural course will be Rhiwena Slack from Cultivate and Emma Maxwell from Ash & Elm Horticulture with mentoring from Tir Coed's Powys Mentor, Matt Sheldon.

In 2024 we will be doing some trips out later in the season to visit market gardens and enterprises to think about scaling up food production, how to save your own seed and different ways to share produce. 

Every week the participants have the option of getting together with the site volunteers for a shared hot lunch thanks to Cultivate, which brings a real sense of community at the gardens.

It can be nerve racking to join a new group but what we find on our courses is that people really support each other and forge friendships. There is a gentleness to gardening alongside people. Through this activity people can be quiet or open up, it’s up to the individual.

Not sure if you want to complete the whole course? Join up for the first 5 week unit and see how it goes. In this first unit you will learn:

• Organic soil management.
• Assessing a site for growing.
• Understanding and making compost.

Feedback from previous course participants

One of last year’s participants said: “If I wasn’t here each week I would be sitting on the sofa playing computer games and watching TV. Now I am outside with people, I have structure in the week and it helps me forget about some of my pain.”

“Some days I wouldn’t feel like going out but gradually through the course I have arrived earlier and earlier and now (by the end of the course) I wish I had been on time every week and made the most of it.”

Three of the participants continue to volunteer at other projects together, supporting each other and helping with transport and new ventures.

If you would like to join this free course starting on April 9th please contact the co-ordinator Alice Read by emailing powysdevelopment@tircoed.org.uk, or tel: 07415 752 583, or visit the website to see all of the Tir Coed courses. Courses include woodland and growing courses. 

All Tir Coed courses are free.

Life at No 27 - growing for wellbeing

Life at No.27 is a leading horticultural therapy and mental health counselling provider run as a social enterprise, built with passion at its core and designed to improve lives. The organisation uses nature, conversation and human connection to support anyone experiencing poor mental health, low confidence, self-esteem, and isolation.

Since our involvement with the Grow, Cook, Share Powys Network has now come to a close, we are keen to find out more about the opportunities in Powys for therapeutic gardening so that we can promote them far and wide. So we got in touch.

Annabelle Padwick, the founder, was more than happy to tell us about Life at No.27.

Why did you set up Life at No. 27? And what is the story behind the name?

I set up the organisation following my own experience with mental ill health and recovery, and the observation that the two things which helped me were private mental health psychotherapy and me getting my allotment. I wanted to create a safe space for others that combined these two therapeutic opportunities into one unique approach that was accessible for everyone. A safe space to talk, explore thoughts and feelings including past trauma, process and heal, alongside a practical outdoor environment to learn new skills, release energy safely, look to the future and believe in myself and my ability with practical tangible evidence.

The name, Life at No.27, came in 2015, when I started a blog about my own allotment and mental health journey. I didn’t want the blog to say mental health or gardening as I didn’t want the title to automatically say what it was about, other than my life. I wanted other people to want to read it. My original personal allotment plot number was 27, and I was also 27 when I started the blog.

Since then, the name has stayed the same and my client allotmenteers have said they like it, especially as it doesn’t say what it is. It gives them more choice on how much they want to tell others about the service.

Tell us briefly about the organisation’s main activities now

We deliver weekly adult group and 1-1 sessions for all ages over 18, where we offer local people their own Life at No.27 allotment, or access to a Life at No.27 therapy garden for a year, as well a mental health counsellor and therapeutic horticulturalist to support them mentally and practically with learning to grow produce. This is at our therapy garden in Craig y Nos Country Park in South Powys. These spaces are free with GP, psychiatrist or social worker referral. We also welcome self-referrals.

We also offer fun and relaxing weekly after school club sessions for children aged five years old and above, as well as 1-1 sessions, school intervention programmes and holiday activity clubs. All children are welcome, but the sessions are designed for children struggling with anxiety, low confidence, difficulty understanding and managing emotions and/or have social and emotional needs.

Why the move to Wales?

We moved to Wales personally, and this area in particular, because we love it and wanted to be closer to where my husband was born and his family are, near Swansea and Carmarthenshire.

The strapline at Life at No.27 is “It’s not what you grow, it’s how YOU grow!” Tell us more

It fundamentally means that it doesn’t matter what you choose to grow, whether that’s flowers, carrots, pumpkins or much bigger life ambitions. We want to support you every step of the way and how you grow as a person in the process is what is important.

What is it about being outdoors, in Nature, that you think has such an impact on positive mental health?

I think it’s the combination of being in nature, learning new skills and having a safe, confidential space to talk and explore feelings that can help create positive mental health.

In terms of being in nature specifically, it’s the most natural and free therapeutic resource for us all. If we slow down and pay attention, nature teaches about patience, resilience, the importance of being present in the moment and the enhanced satisfaction and joy we feel in life when we do slow down and feel every moment. It also teaches us exactly what we need to thrive as well. I always say to people if you forget how to look after yourself, just think about what a plant needs, and if you forget how to look after a plant, think about what you need - it’s the exact same things. Yet at the time it shows our uniqueness, we all have the same but also different needs. We all need food, love, sunshine, nurturing, space to grow, minimal enforced disruption, air, and patience – just in different quantities and ways, and plants are the same.

Layer this with the practical elements of getting our hands in the soil and the sensory play experience of feeling, smelling and seeing different plants. We can then lose ourselves in the moment; the fragrances, the noises of grasses and birds, the textures of bark, furry petals or the mindful process of many gardening activities.

You have a number of projects running at Life at No.27. Tell us more

We have our beautiful therapy garden in Craig-y-Nos, where we offer a range of services for those experiencing mental ill health, isolation, anxiety, low confidence and/or self-esteem.

Here we deliver group adult sessions for up to 6 people on Friday mornings, from 10 – 12. These sessions are part of our year long programme mentioned earlier and are free with referral. We come together relax, have a cuppa or two, chat and garden together in our beautiful surroundings. There is no pressure to chat or share with others unless you want to, as I mentioned earlier, it’s all about coming, for yourself, and giving it a go.

We also offer 1-1 sessions for adults here which are available on request to suit their availability.

Here in Craig-y-Nos, we also offer two-hour adult Seed Sowing and Gardening through the Year workshops every month on Friday afternoons for anyone who just wants to come garden aka play, have a cuppa and relax with others. These sessions are between £15 - £20, with all proceeds going towards our free mental health support services.

How did you get to work with the Prince and Princess of Wales and how’s that going?

We were very fortunate that the team from their charity, The Royal Foundation, contacted us after seeing a recent Crowdfunder fundraising campaign we set up for here in Wales, and were really interested in what we do. Following some conversations, the Prince and Princess of Wales were keen to meet with me, help us grow in the area, build more sites and be able to offer our unique programmes to more people. So, at the beginning of this year they announced they wanted to partner with us and start to create a legacy project, that will hopefully mean that they and their team will be on hand for support or guidance when we need it.

It’s still early days regarding their support, but I really hope it helps us achieve our vision.

Tell us more about your role as an Advisor to the House of Lords

Yes, this was a wonderful surprise invitation and surreal experience. In June this year, I was invited by the Horticultural Sector Committee to advise and give oral evidence regarding the current landscape of horticulture and mental health. This is part of a horticulture wide industry enquiry and report they are carrying out this year, to look at what is happening on the ground and what legislations need to change in the future in order for the industry to remain sustainable and bright.

I spoke about the work we do, the challenges we face, how social prescribing is currently working for us and what legislations we need urgently for safe, professional care. I also shared my experience and knowledge regarding the challenges within the media’s representation of gardening, and the compelling differences between the mental health of hobby gardeners and those who work as professional gardeners, landscapers or large-scale growers.

Are school sessions available in Powys schools now, and what happens at those?

Absolutely! They are available for primary and secondary age school children, across the area.

Our alternative education school programmes for children are designed specifically for those who are struggling with the mainstream school environment. The 6 – 12 week, or ongoing two hour weekly sessions, give selected individuals an opportunity to gain more time, space and attention away from the distractions of the classroom. Pupils who benefit massively from these sessions are those struggling with mental health illnesses, difficult home situations, anxiety and low confidence, including those already with a Child & Adolescent Mental Health team and on the SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disability) register with SEMH (Social, Emotional & Mental Health) needs.

Feedback from students:

“It’s been great! It’s really boosted my confidence.”

“I really enjoyed the programme and I recommend it to anyone else as it’s really fun and a good opportunity to make cool things and meet new people.”

“It has helped me come out of my shell and have more confidence. I have made a new friend and it has helped me deal with my feelings.”

What are the main challenges of your role?

Funding, accessibility and recruiting currently, and trying to work with and juggle all those challenges at the same time is probably a good summary.

Accessibility feels challenging right now for us, especially navigating how to engage with other services locally and GP practices who can refer local people to our services. So, any help would be greatly appreciated!

Tell us about some of the most rewarding work you have done at Life at No.27

It has to be helping children understand and express their emotions freely and safely. Whether that’s talking, running, sitting quietly and noticing wildlife or covering themselves head to toe in soil. Helping teenagers release the pressures and frustrations they feel, so that they can be a child again for the time they are with me, has to be up there with one of the most rewarding parts of our work too.

I will never forget seeing one of our past adult allotmenteers taking home a full family meal worth of home grown produce they had grown with no previous experience and their pride when they cooked and served it for their wife and two children.

I could keep going, but I guess for me the most rewarding work is when I see people being able to be fully themselves, with no restrictions or societal pressures impacting how they feel and behave. As well as teaching people new practical and emotional skills that really help them grow in confidence and self-belief. Those smiles, release in their eyes, the pride in their stance and weight off their shoulders.

“Meeting Annabelle and joining the Life at No.27 programme changed the course of my life, and I will forever be grateful for her and her team for being there for me when I felt unheard and alone. Life at No.27 was pivotal for me. I have a long way to go on my mental health journey, but knowing she will always be there if I ever needed her again, is comfort enough to try to work through life’s challenges.”

You can read their full testimonial here.

When you’re not working how do you enjoy spending your time?

I love anything creative, so painting, drawing and printmaking in my studio, and I spend a lot of my spare time growing my own produce and currently getting ready to welcome our own sheep. 

Many thanks to Annabelle for telling us all about Life at No.27. 

If you would like to find out more, check out the website or contact Annabelle by emailing: annabelle@lifeatno27.com

The Fathom Trust – health and healing through Green crafts

Back in 2020 Jess Tanner worked for Brecon & District Mind as an Ecotherapist leading the Green Minds Ecotherapy Project. Jess now works for the Powys charity The Fathom Trust as an Ecotherapist and Community Gardener.

We spoke to Jess to find out more about The Fathom Trust, and how coming together as a community to craft and connect with nature can enrich lives.

Jess Tanner, Ecotherapist

What is your role with The Fathom Trust?

I lead the six week “Making Well – Health & Healing through Green Crafts” course at The Fathom Trust. Located in Bwlch, Making Well runs four times a year and is centred around the kitchen and cut flower gardens and outdoor craft workshops. We work alongside a local, visiting craft practitioner on every course.

Crafts taught at Making Well have included willow weaving, horticulture, pottery, green woodwork and cob building. Our sessions are rooted in the seasons and our craft practice is very much guided by nature and the growing gardens that surround us.

We’re currently working to build stronger referral partnerships through our local GP surgeries, Brecon & District Mind as well as Credu, who we are welcoming to Making Well for the first time this summer for series of day-long craft and nature-connection workshops. We welcome referrals from mental health teams in the community, and self-referrals are also welcome if people feel the course will benefit them.

Tell us more about The Fathom Trust 

The charity, which is based between Brecon and Crickhowell in south Powys, was founded three years ago by Dr William Beharrell, formerly a trainee psychiatrist and NHS Manager, with an interest in health innovation. Its mission is “to promote physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing using traditional crafts to restore life-giving connections to body, soul, nature and society.” It has lots of new projects developing.

Craftsmanship, Conservation and Contemplation – how do these three aspects work together to support healing?

It's about tending and coming into relationship with all three of these aspects – how we tend to ourselves, others and the landscape around us. By working with our hands; with willow, wood and earth, and through gentle mindfulness and movement practices we come into a practice of noticing ourselves and the world around us. At Making Well we hold nurturing and healing spaces in which to come together as a community to share our individual and collective experience.

How can The Fathom Trust support people who are struggling with their mental health?

We support participants to improve their current health and wellbeing by cultivating skills, friendships and a deeper connection to nature. Our team of experienced practitioners provide a nurturing space for groups to come together, and are on hand to offer the compassion and guidance needed to meet people at their own pace. Our practitioners come from a diversity of backgrounds within wellbeing and craft-making and there is a real sense of collaboration within each Making Well course.

We offer a taster day ahead of each course which gives people chance to meet the team and each other and get a sense of whether the course is something they'd like to take part in. We feel that the taster days are a really important aspect of the course and help people to see what might be possible for them and what they might be able to achieve over the 6 weeks, especially after any long periods of ill health or feelings of isolation. If throughout the day participants find taking part in the group activities a challenge, we have a therapeutic practitioner at Making Well that is able to offer 1-1 walk and talks if needed. Each Making Well course is a closed group which we find helps build a stronger sense of community over a short period of time, and provides a fertile space in which to develop new skills and meaningful friendships.

What happens on the course?

Each session follows the same rhythm of coming together for a morning grounding and contemplative nature-connection practice, followed by small group morning and afternoon craft sessions. Halfway through our day we stop for a seasonal, nutritious lunch which is cooked onsite in our outdoor kitchen. We also weave in time throughout the day for time to reflect and share in our different experiences of crafting and being in nature.

Welcoming new craft practitioners keeps our work growing and evolving. It's great to be able to come into contact with so many different natural materials which often bring about a different set of experiences for those taking part. There are different challenges and moments of insight that can be discovered within each material and craft-making process.

Can 6 weeks make a big difference?

From my own experience of the healing and restorative potential held within nature, and from the privilege I have of guiding and witnessing others through their own experience throughout the 6 weeks, I do believe so. I am reminded of a Mary Oliver poem “When I am Among the Trees” and the constant source of reconnection and sense of belonging that she speaks of that is never too distant, and that through a slow crafting of tending to each moment within us and around us, we can begin to see and experience life in new ways.

We are in the process of creating a new digital story bank at Fathom with the intention of weaving together the many and diverse experiences of the way participants have valued their time at Making Well. Once these are published we will be able to draw upon a much wider range of the depth of experience each course can offer. It's really important for us to keep growing and to know that what we offer here is always in service to our community and to the landscapes we inhabit, so these story sharing opportunities are vital for our continued practice of being able to respond to, and be malleable, within times of change and uncertainty that many of us are constantly adapting to.

Although everything that we offer at Making Well is invitational, it is through participation that we can experience the most benefit, so we encourage and support everyone to take part wherever they can. We don’t see Making Well as an isolated experience and we hold and nurture a space together as a community over the 6 weeks that might help to cultivate new ways of thinking, feeling, and experiencing that we hope will offer little seeds that people will continue to tend to. Tending is a big theme of what we cultivate – tending to the garden, one another and ourselves and the realisation that we are all part of this world. We all share similar stories around our struggles, our fears and feelings of isolation. At Making Well we create a space to share and support one another, and that can offer a huge sense of relief and respite to those that join us.

What impact does this course have on participants?

There is some really interesting evaluation work that has been done on this by the Wales School of Social Prescribing Research in conjunction with several universities. You can read more on our website here.

Heather Dickens, willow weaver

How can people and communities contribute and benefit from The Fathom Trust?

The Trust is trying to grow wellbeing and craft hubs – and also to grow the network of landowners and practitioners taking part across Powys. We have a Crafters’ Café at Brecon Cathedral which is part of Making Well – it’s a drop-in craft café in the Tithe Barn every Tuesday within term time run by Heather Dickens our willow weaver.

The Trust is also looking for other sites to set up more Making Well programmes – with a vision to link each cluster of GP surgeries to a 6 week course, so that the referrals are held much more within our local communities. Currently some people travel from a fair distance and we want to limit that where we can within Powys.

Long-term, funding permitting, we hope Making Well courses will pop up throughout the county. They might be shaped a little differently according to the surrounding landscapes and local need, but each will be anchored in our approach to craft, conservation and contemplation.

Which other organisations are you working with this summer?

We’re also working with Credu (Connecting Carers) over the summer holidays for the first time offering sessions for young and adult carers’ groups.

What are the main challenges of your role?

It’s getting the message out there and reaching people, it takes time but we are starting to build momentum as we strengthen our local partnerships. 

By working outdoors, we also work with the changing weather and terrain, we want Making Well to be as accessible to as many people as possible, so we are constantly looking at ways that we can adapt our offer to suit everyone’s mental and physical strengths and limitations.

We will be inviting professionals to come and join us for an open day to see how Making Well can support those they are supporting. Some of the PAVO Community Connectors have taken part so can then speak about it which is especially useful for those referring in. That’s worked out to be a very natural partnership that we hope to keep growing.

What do you get out of working for The Fathom Trust?

So much. I am always reminded how important it is to come together as a community and how much we all need that and the space to come and share and express who we are in a supportive environment. I get huge joy in sharing the many nature-connection activities we offer, gardening together in groups, skill sharing, and holding space for people – it feels a real honour to do that. Also seeing the difference in people from a taster day to the end of the course is wonderful and the ways that people slowly unfurl themselves and open out to the world around them as the course goes on.

It's such a joy to see how participants on Making Well make each invitation to explore nature and craft-making their own, and take time to tune into nature and themselves in ways they might not have done or had the time to do so before. It's just a great privilege to see the growth that can happen over such a short period of time and the friendships that blossom and how people begin to trust in their own capacity for becoming and being well. We work with the natural world to create a rhythm and a nurturing environment for people to come into, but it’s always about the unique constellation of participants that join us that make each course the healing and regenerative experience it becomes.

When you are not working for The Fathom Trust, how do you enjoy spending your time?

I love to potter, grow and make things. I like to write songs and take long walks with my hammock. In the garden, or under the night’s sky, is where I find my sense of sanctuary.

If you want to find out more about The Fathom Trust, 

you can contact Jess by emailing: jess@fathomtrust.com

The next Making Well session starts with a taster day on 14 September. 

You can sign up on the online referral form here.

My 2022 journey with Ponthafren

 

Here in Powys our mental health charities do some absolutely amazing work!

For our final post this 2022 we find out more about the impact of Ponthafren’s One to One Recovery Project from a recent client.

Where do I start? Maybe a bit of background?

In 2019 I was diagnosed with a Traumatic Brian Injury (TBI) and advised to medically retire by the Neuropsychologist. I didn’t feel ready at that time and the Neuropsychologist himself retired leaving me to negotiate my diagnosis and progression myself.

Fast forward to 2021. Having worked through the pandemic as a Diabetes Specialist Nurse, providing support and training to staff as well as initiating new protocols and treatments, I was finding things more and more difficult. I was feeling the effects of my TBI and was afraid of making a mistake or killing a patient.

At the age of 55, having worked as a nurse for 26 years, I made the difficult decision to retire and in December 2021 I was awarded a Level 2 medical retirement on 31.12.2021. This had two effects. First, it confirmed I had made the right decision but secondly, it also meant that I was no longer a nurse, had no purpose and no support to help me navigate the TBI effects and how my life was changing. I was a failure.

During early 2022 I was struggling to obtain my pension from the NHS due to a previous employer who had not completed the appropriate paperwork. I was unaware of any benefits I was entitled to, and I was also unable to navigate the communication with the pensions department, ex-employer, etc, due to my poor cognitive abilities and labile emotions. (Basically, I just fell apart when trying to talk to anyone).

After 3 months of trying to navigate everything on my own my mental health had deteriorated to such an extent that I thought the world would be a better place without me in it. I had nowhere to go and no one to turn to for advice or support. The Neuropsychologist was never replaced in our area, and whilst the GP was supportive he was unable to provide any help. I couldn’t talk to my family as I didn’t want to be a burden. I cried if anyone talked to me, I felt a failure and worthless, I didn’t know how to negotiate my own life, who I was or who I wanted to be. I was withdrawn, lonely and felt a failure.

I was aware of Ponthafren, the mental health charity in North Powys, as I had provided some training there in the past. However, I really didn’t feel they were for me as I had some preconceived ideas as to the clientele. I certainly wasn’t sure what they could do - if anything - to help me, but I had to try something or I would not have been able to go on.

So I contacted Ponthafren and within a few weeks they had offered me an appointment to discuss my needs and see if they could offer support. I wasn’t hopeful! Then I met my One to One Recovery Worker. I don’t think I got through the first few meetings without being a complete mess! Crying, unable to find the words I needed and being withdrawn.

Over time my One to One Worker helped me to navigate the pensions; she also spoke/emailed the ex-employer and helped support me to apply for benefits. She gave me the reassurance that I was not beyond help and provided emotional as well as practical support. I could not have done it without her.

Through my One to One Worker’s support and encouragement I was able to access some counselling and to attend a gardening group. Initially being part of the group was difficult. I was unable to concentrate fully on what was happening as I struggled in a group, especially if more than one person was talking. I was unable to keep up with processing the information and I felt I didn’t belong. Also I cried… a lot! But I persevered.

When we transferred to volunteer at another large local garden overseen by a charity I couldn’t even get out of the car! I couldn’t work out how to park…. I didn’t know how to find the toilets. I didn’t know anyone and felt out of place. Every time I saw one of the other volunteers I broke down and cried, but still I persevered.

Slowly, with encouragement, I was able to attend other groups and not fall apart. I still have mini meltdowns and get fatigued, and my emotions overwhelm me on occasion, but I now have a purpose. I feel welcomed by all at Ponthafren and would be lost without them.

Fast forward 9 months

I am now a regular volunteer with Ponthafren. I also attend Mindfulness once a month, Singing for Well-being on a Tuesday, Yoga on a Wednesday, and Gardening on a Thursday.

Recently I was asked to facilitate the gardening group to enable it to carry on as Adult Learning Wales were unable to continue providing support. I didn’t think I could do it, but with the encouragement and support I have received, and continue to receive, I have become a volunteer for the charity’s garden as well as for Ponthafren. I can converse with the group effectively; I have attended meetings with regards to the group, and although there were a few teething problems initially I feel I am now able to steer the group and help it to grow for other members of Ponthafren and people just like me because of my One to One Worker and the rest of the team at Welshpool.

Don’t get me wrong, I still have meltdowns and cry on occasion, but I am generally better able to recognise when I need to step away and when I need to ask for help from others. This is without doubt a definite growth for me. I have a purpose, I have somewhere that people ‘see me’ and accept me for all my faults along with some strengths that I have been able to develop along this journey.

I really can’t put into words how much finding Ponthafren has helped me and changed my life this year. If it wasn’t for my One to One worker and the amazing team at Welshpool, I wouldn’t be here in December 2022.

I hope to be able to continue to give back to Ponthafren and be an asset to them, to be able to help and support others in my own slightly broken way as a volunteer. Ponthafren is for everyone who needs a little support or has been a little bit damaged just because of life! If I could change one thing it would be the misguided pre-conceptions that some people have, myself included, around what Ponthafren is, who it can help and what they can offer. I sing their praise from the roof top when able and have pointed a couple of people in their direction already.

Finally, I would like to say THANK YOU, you really do not know how you have saved me and enhanced my life. Keep doing what you all do so well.

Find out more about Ponthafren’s One to One Recovery project.

Powys Patients’ Council - Growing a Garden

"Time and activity in Nature is good for us."

by Owen Griffkin, Powys Patients' Council Facilitator

One of the requests that comes up regularly when we hold Patients’ Council sessions on the Felindre Acute Mental Health ward in south Powys is gardening activities. Unfortunately until recently this has been difficult to organise due to health and safety reasons but we have been speaking to the occupational therapist on the ward, Millie Griffiths, about ways in which this could be provided.

I am a big believer in the power of gardening to improve mental and physical health and advocate for people to use ‘The Five Ways to Wellbeing’ to do this. In my view it helps you achieve all the goals in the Five Ways, (be active, take notice, keep learning, connect with others and give). It’s a skill that people can take with them when they leave the ward, and maybe join one of the many local groups to help their recovery. At the bottom of this article I have listed some local groups you can get involved with.

This is why we have been so keen to see activities on the ward, and we are delighted that Millie has been working hard to get regular gardening sessions on the ward recently. We asked Millie to give a quick overview of what they have been doing. 

MIllie Griffiths — Mental Health Occupational Therapist

In June 2020 there was an enclosed garden situated between Felindre Ward and Defynnog Ward which was unused. 

The old garden

We had no gardening group on the ward and research published in the Mental Health Journal has shown gardening as being able to “reduce stress and improve mood with a reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety,” (Thrive - a charity that has been using social therapeutic horticulture and gardening to change people’s lives since 1979). You can read more about why gardening is good for your mental wellbeing on the Thrive website.

Using Sir Captain Tom Moore Covid funds we were able to purchase planters and a plastic greenhouse which has enabled us to facilitate a gardening group for patients on Felindre Ward. We have been able to grow vegetables which we have then used in cooking groups, as well as flowers. This has enabled us to promote healthy living and spending time outside, as well as providing patients with a better outlook when they look out of their window.

From garden to kitchen!

On the ward we have weekly patient meetings, as well as fortnightly Patients' Council meetings, where it has been frequently suggested by patients that we have a gardening group. Due to the expression of interest, unused space, and research into gardening and mental health, we set up the group. I am not a gardener, nor do I know much, however through the use of Google, books and other staff/patients’ knowledge we have been able to set up the group which we hope to continue to develop to create a space patients can enjoy.

Community gardens across Powys

If you would like to get involved in a gardening project near you here are some you can try out:

Brecon & District Mind's Green Minds Project in Brecon Cathedral and other areas in South Powys.

Read more about this project on our separate blogpost - Green Minds Ecotherapy Project - South Powys

Photo credit: Laura Tranter

Llandrindod Community Garden/Transition Project - Runs a community orchard/pomarium and food garden as well as holding regular meetings to improve sustainability in Llandrindod Wells.

Newtown - Cultivate: Cultivate is a cooperative, run by volunteers and employees who are dedicated to supporting a resilient local food economy.

Newtown - Ponthafren: Regular gardening activities - details on their new activities calendar.

Ystradgynlais - The volunteers will be returning to the community garden project that was on the hospital grounds very soon. Watch this space, or keep an eye on local bulletins, for more info.

Machynlleth - Gerddi Bro Ddyfi Gardens provides and promotes a therapeutic community wildlife garden for all people in the Bro Ddyfi area, and especially those at risk of social exclusion. They will be restarting activities after a Covid break soon.

We would love to hear what you think about the benefits of therapeutic gardening and if you have joined in any of the activities at these community gardens. Comment below and also suggest other gardens you know where people could volunteer.

A peaceful patio at Felindre Ward

Therapeutic gardening in Machynlleth

At the start of a new gardening year we talk to Kate Doubleday, Garden Volunteer Co-ordinator at Gerddi Bro Dyfi Gardens in North Powys. Kate tells us more about this therapeutic open space for people which is also beneficial to local wildlife.

What is the aim of the project?

Gerddi Bro Ddyfi is an organic wildlife community garden in the heart of Machynlleth. It is a people-led project, where the volunteers can choose their own activity. The aim is to create a nurturing, peaceful environment where everyone can feel supported and gain a sense of belonging. Our volunteer days are on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10.30am - 4pm. We provide refreshments and have a volunteer shelter where people can take refuge in the rain. Throughout the year we also offer a range of one day activity workshops in scything, willow weaving, bird watching, and green woodworking for example.

Tell us more about your role at Gerddi Bro Ddyfi Gardens?

My role is mainly to facilitate a group of volunteers to enjoy and explore the garden. I work with a dedicated volunteer committee, and none of it would happen without their efforts.

My role is multi-faceted, and I go from gardening with the volunteers to liaising with Community Psychiatric Nurses to sitting in fundraising meetings.

I also work with the community nursery group doing wild play and environmental education with Early Years, and I’ve worked with youth clubs, doing outdoor work and graffiti projects with young people. The youth club was instrumental in the design aspect of the garden in the early days.

How long have you worked there and what drew you to the role?

I’ve worked at the gardens since 2008. Myself and a colleague, Leigh Munton, had both previously worked in therapeutic gardening roles and saw a need for this in Machynlleth. We ran short horticultural courses in the community and realised that when people had finished these one-off courses there was no way for people to carry on gardening in a social way.

Having worked at the Martineau Gardens in Birmingham previously I’d seen the value of a permanent therapeutic garden and how much this can provide a community. I’d experienced the incredible power gardening has on our wellbeing.

Tell us about the volunteers at the gardens

They’re fantastic! The garden wouldn’t be what it is without our volunteers, both on the ground and on the committee. We have a dedicated core group, who are all ages and from a variety of backgrounds, who turn up whatever the weather and maintain the garden for the community. Some of them have been coming for years.

What kind of work do they get involved with?

We do a range of activities, from weeding to woodwork, to planting flowers to attract wildlife to maintaining the vegetable beds.

How does a typical day pan out?

The day always starts with a cup of tea and a catch-up, and often some cake too! There’s usually a list of things that need doing, and this depends very much on the season, but people lead their own activities, and they can do as little or as much as they want. You can work alone or in a team – people have their own preferences.

Things always get exciting when we’re preparing for an event. It’s good to have something to work towards.

Who can volunteer to join the project?

Gerddi Bro Ddyfi is open to anyone from the community. We have good wheelchair access and hope to be as inclusive as possible. We’re particularly open to people who may feel excluded or who are having challenging life experiences.

What kind of support do you offer to the volunteers?

I see myself as a facilitator to help people come together in a beautiful space to socialise and connect with one another, and with nature. I aim to always provide a listening ear too. In some cases I signpost people to receive further support.

How does volunteering in a garden environment impact on people’s mental health?

Research shows that the act of looking after plants, as well as being active outdoors, is beneficial for a person’s mental health.

Horticulture as a therapy differs from other therapies in that it works with living entities which have their own needs and requirements. Through nurturing these entities, people become involved in something outside of themselves and this process can help them feel less isolated and more connected with the social and natural world, as well as developing a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Volunteers also interact with visitors from the community and this is clearly beneficial for their confidence, especially if they feel stigmatised.

Tell us how your work fits in with other voluntary sector groups

We work closely with the volunteer bureau, Community Action Machynlleth & District (CAMAD), also based in Machynlleth, which often sends volunteers our way. We’ve recently been building bridges with Ponthafren Association in Newtown, and we’ve done joint events with Edible Mach, Bro Ddyfi Advice Centre, and Mid Wales Housing, under the banner Bwyd Dyfi Partnership.

What are the main challenges of your role?

Fundraising, without a doubt, is the biggest challenge. It’s very difficult to raise funds alongside the work I do on the ground, and obviously with austerity policies things are getting harder. Working with volunteers is extremely rewarding, although sometimes it’s challenging, and I’m learning all the time.

Tell us about some of the most rewarding work you have done at the Gardens

I’ve found it very rewarding to be involved in providing access for people with physical disabilities, enabling them to garden and to take pleasure from outdoor work. The greatest reward is to see the volunteers connecting and growing to support one another, so that my role becomes marginal. Some of them become very close friends. Also it makes me happy to see volunteers go on to find jobs afterwards, with greater confidence, having used the gardens as a stepping stone. Having been a volunteer myself in Birmingham during a difficult time in my life, it gives me pleasure to be able to give something back.

If you would like to get involved at Gerddi Bro Ddyfi Gardens contact Kate on 07941 908 891 or check out the website.

Glorious Gardens From Above: BBC TV @ Ponthafren

This Autumn the glorious terraced garden which is managed by a team of devoted volunteers at the mental health charity Ponthafren Association, Newtown, will feature on a new BBC TV programme called Glorious Gardens From Above. 

TV/radio gardener and horticulturist Christine Walkden spent the summer journeying across the British Isles in a hot air balloon. From this striking new perspective she flew across the country calling in at some of the most beautiful gardens on her way. The new programme is not just about gardens, but people's relationships with gardens. Ponthafren's garden was chosen to represent the community garden category in the episode focusing on Mid Wales.

I met the BBC producer/director Will Ridgeon and his colleague Helen Shields as they spent the day filming interviews of staff and volunteers at Ponthafren and touring the garden to find some of the best viewpoints. That was not difficult in a stunning garden cut into the steep hillside alongside the River Severn, with views overlooking not just the riverbank, but the town of Newtown opposite.

Nicky Morris (Centre Co-ordinator) began her interview by describing the layout of the garden. Starting at the top, there is a large fruit and veg patch, from which leads a long drystone wall. This is topped with herbs all the way down the sloping path to the sensory gazebo - one of several outdoor seating areas. Next is the sensory garden itself, which is stuffed full of different textured plants and grasses, and then alongside the riverbank is the wildlife walk. This incorporates a pond with a solar powered fountain and mass plantings of shasta daisies which blend perfectly with the natural vegetation of the riverbank. 

Each area has its own features, included topiary figures and sculptures made out of all manner of materials, including a recycled bath and washing machine innards! Iolo Williams opened the garden once the wildlife walk was complete and said it was ideal for wildlife - the dragonfly larvae had moved into the pond already!

Helen and Will then moved on to interview Ponthafren garden volunteer Jan Rogers – who is turning into something of a regular guest on this blog (she recently wrote – Volunteering whilst getting benefits and Mental Health Act 1983 – Code of Practice: the review (in England)). As Jan picked apples from a loaded tree, before moving into the greenhouse for tomatoes and cucumbers, she answered questions about how her involvement as a volunteer gardener at Ponthafren had impacted on her own wellbeing. She also spoke passionately about what she had gained from her experience – including increased confidence, new qualifications and the opportunity to work outside.

She explained that a variety of funders had contributed to the garden improvements over the years, including work to make the garden more accessible to all. In the last few years new raised beds and an extra greenhouse have been added, and also new seating areas. These projects are often planned, costed and built by the garden volunteers themselves, and there is a sense of huge achievement as each idea is brought to life.

Volunteers have been able to attend Coleg Harlech (now WEA Cymru) courses in Drystone Walling, Art & Design in the Garden, and Landscape Design, whilst completing various projects. Jan said "some of us were lucky enough to complete a 12 month Diploma in Horticultural based Progression (14 units including a wide range of topics from herbs, grafting, and seed collecting to writing business plans, to name a few). I personally would have never taken part in this type of course if it had not run at Ponthafren."

Jan heads up the team of garden volunteers at the Centre. Each volunteer chooses what area they want to work in, "one lady can't stand for long but she loves to sit and pot things on. We take a lot of cuttings, and the plants are put in our yard for people to buy which is our money to buy seeds, compost and tools for next year. This is the great thing with our garden, there is something for everyone. The only thing that I do insist on is that everyone enjoys it!"

Jan arrives with a basket full of veggies for an outdoor cookery demonstration.

Julia Gorman (Newtown Resource Centre Facilitator at Ponthafren) was then filmed with Ponthafren members preparing the vegetables Jan had gathered. Julia runs regular nutrition sessions at the Centre for members to attend and learn about food preparation and diet - she and some of the volunteers prepare healthy and tasty food for all to enjoy at the end of a session. 

Contrast this image with one taken about 15 years ago when volunteers started work at Ponthafren to transform the garden.

All in all everyone had a thoroughly enjoyable day - though obviously Will and Helen were working non-stop throughout to film the best shots for the programme! We all noticed during the filming how often noises intrude to interrupt a session. Ponthafren garden always seems very peaceful, but on the day the BBC arrived a whole host of sounds came and went, including: squealing seagulls, bottle bank emptying across the river, workmen building a shed next door, motorbikes roaring along Milford Road, dogs barking and planes soaring high overhead. A tip for anyone wanting to get into the TV business: learn and practice patience as a key skill!

The new series Glorious Gardens From Above will now start broadcasting on Monday 10 November on BBC 1 at 3.45pm daily (please note change of broadcast date!)

There are 15 episodes in total. The Mid Wales episode, in which Ponthafren Association features, will transmit on Wednesday 12 November. It will also feature Powis Castle Gardens, and the Dingle Garden near Welshpool.

You can join a Drop-in Gardening session with Jan at Ponthafren Association 

every Wednesday and Friday 11am - 2.30pm.

Julia runs Foodwise sessions at Ponthafren Association every Thursday 2 - 3pm.

You can find out more here.