09/08/10
Newport’s secret garden provides fertile ground to tend to mental health problems
Figures reported by the Mental Health Foundation show that one in six people in the UK suffers from a mental health problem at some point in their lives, which often leaves individuals unable to work and isolated from their communities.
Fortunately for the people of Newport, a pioneering partnership has been established between Growing Space, an award-winning mental health charity, and Learn About, a work-based learning provider. This joint venture has been responsible for helping people in the area overcome their issues by reintegrating them into their communities and leading them into employment or further training.
The Growing Space and Learn About partnership is based on the Tredegar House estate in Newport and involves clients working towards formal qualifications in horticulture, woodwork, IT and employability skills.
Growing Space has existed in its own right on the estate for 18 years. The charity comprises two-and-a-half acres of private walled gardens, Victorian greenhouses, a cottage garden and an orchard. The charity acts as a sanctuary and a means of building practical and social skills for individuals who suffer from mental health problems including bi-polar and schizophrenia. Growing Space encourages clients to tend to allotments, grow fresh fruit and vegetables and provide gardening services to the local community.
Four years ago Growing Space joined forces with Learn About, which is an arm of Wales’ largest work-based learning provider ACT. This has enabled many people to gain qualifications in IT and employability skills, as well as the OCN and NVQ qualifications they obtain from Growing Space.
Helena Lane, IT NVQ assessor for Learn About, said: “The Growing Space and Learn About partnership really has been life-changing for some of our clients. By combining a safe and relaxed approach to learning with the Growing Space gardening and woodwork projects, and the IT and employability skills training provided by Learn About, our clients have been able to overcome a host of issues and have developed a support network through each other. Nobody is contracted to come here but most of our clients come here regularly to catch up and help one another.
“I think that there is still a lot of misunderstanding among the general public about mental health issues. Sometimes people don’t understand just how debilitating it can be to suffer from mental health problems or the difficulties that these people experience in their day-to-day lives.
“We have worked with many clients who have recovered from the depths of depression to make huge leaps personally and now hold full-time jobs and live entirely independently.”
Growing Space horticultural supervisor Gavin Mote said: “The dedication everyone has shown is brilliant – everyone turns up to do their bit come rain or shine and they take a lot of pride in what they do in the gardens. It’s really very rewarding to see people overcoming the odds and supporting each other as friends and colleagues.”
Mike Sullivan, 58, from Caerleon, who has been attending Growing Space and Learn About for 18 months, said: “I was pretty rock bottom when I was referred to Growing Space. I had developed problems with alcohol, l lost my job and after a string of events I suffered a severe mental breakdown.
“I couldn’t even get to the centre by myself when I started, but now I go out into the community with the mobile gardening team and help run events at Growing Space. I have overcome many of my problems thanks to the patience and understanding I have received here. The friends I have made will stay with me forever. I can’t praise the staff here enough, and I’m not ashamed to say that they saved my life.”
Val Channing, 38, from St Julians, won the 2009 Roger Berry Memorial Award for Outstanding Client at Growing Space and intends to contribute her prize money towards the restoration and maintenance of the Victorian greenhouse. She is encouraging people who suffer from mental health problems to seek help.
Miss Channing said: “I want to show that having mental health problems is nothing to be ashamed of and that this is a safe place to be, where these problems can be tackled with the help of staff and the rest of us, who have been through it all. When I first came here, I thought there was nothing anyone could do to help.
“Being here has given me a great feeling of achievement and has helped me overcome many obstacles. I had never really used a computer before and now I’m on Facebook and have met many friends here. I want to show that anything is possible.”
Phil Evans, a former client, is studying towards a business studies degree at the University of Newport in Caerleon.
He said; “I was always interested in gaining IT qualifications and at Growing Space there is a fully-equipped IT room run by Learn About. The tutor Helena Lane helped me achieve IT qualifications and gave me the confidence to apply to university.
“Growing Space helped me through a particularly difficult time and I now feel I am building a much brighter future.”
Out of Growing Space’s 70 current clients, 18 have achieved IT qualifications.
