New mental health therapy garden opens its doors to community
A new therapy garden has showcased what it has to offer to promote good mental health for patients at its site and wider local community.
The garden, at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust’s Wedgwood House on the West Suffolk Hospital site in Bury St Edmunds, represents the culmination of a two-year £100,000 fundraising project and the transformation of green wasteland into a biodiverse, sensory garden for use by patients, staff, carers and vulnerable members of the wider community.
An inaugural event on Thursday 26 October to celebrate the GreenMinds Wedgwood Therapy Garden welcomed representatives from the local voluntary sector, trust staff and patients and project members to see the garden and hear about exciting plans for its future. An official opening of the garden will be held in summer 2024.
NSFT clinical psychologist Olly Hockley welcomed guests and supporters by saying: “We want this to be a community space. This isn’t just about a Wedgwood House garden, it’s for all of us.”
Specialist landscape designer Mia Witham talked about the garden’s sensory and therapeutic elements, saying: “Green space is a key aspect of recovery.”
The garden has been built by Stewart Landscape Construction and planted with more than 2,000 plants by Wedgwood House patients, staff and a team of local volunteers.
Project leader and assistant psychologist Katherine Falk said: “The garden has patient-led design elements at its heart and has been created with the environment and wider community in mind.
“Our mission is to offer a place of recovery and reflection as well as a hub for therapeutic horticultural activities; a safe and welcoming garden where user groups can learn about sustainability in all its forms, from gardening for beginners, growing food, nutrition and healthy living to gardening for wildlife, biodiversity and the environment. Creative workshops including art, crafts and seasonal sessions will also be included.”
Through collaborations with local charities and community groups, the garden will offer vulnerable people in the wider community year-round gardening workshops. The aim is to grow a thriving GreenMinds community, to empower people with new skills, combat isolation and anxiety, increase confidence and hope and promote learning which will have a lasting impact on the lives of many.
“Through referrals and nature-based interventions, the garden will hopefully reduce the rate of hospital admissions,” said Katherine.
The project has only come to fruition thanks to the dedication of Katherine and volunteer project co-lead Mossy Kennedy, who have driven the fundraising.
NSFT Deputy CEO and Chief People Officer Cath Byford said: “What has been achieved here is incredibly inspiring. Outdoor spaces like this are a key resource for delivering therapies to benefit patients and others struggling with their mental health. The team behind it has done an amazing job to raise such a huge amount of money and it has been an honour to be part of this launch day.”
Even before the garden was completed, it had started to work its magic on the patients who helped with the planting. One patient wrote: “Wow – not my thing (I thought) but amazing project going on and the fresh air, the feeling of being useful along with the fact that I’ve contributed made me feel good about myself. It’s helping me tremendously.”