Horticultural heft
I am very proud to be a patron of a charity called Tuppenny Barn in West Sussex, situated on the south coast near Emsworth. It was set up and is run by an incredible woman called Maggie Haynes. The mission is to offer education to children on growing food and how to eat more healthily. Another large part of what Tuppenny Barn offers is social and therapeutic horticulture, aimed at a diverse range of people, from adults with learning difficulties to veterans and even young carers.
Social and therapeutic horticulture is widely known to bring about positive changes in the lives of people living with disabilities or ill health, along with those who are isolated, disadvantaged or vulnerable. Gardening tasks such as propagation, vegetable and fruit growing and general maintenance have all been proven to significantly help people dealing with anxiety and depression. Regular sessions with trained horticultural therapists are at the core of what Tuppenny Barn does every day, along with growing organic food for the community, sold each week from their shop on site and helping to fund their activities.
On June the 30th there is a symposium called ‘Beyond the Services’ this day will be focusing on how social and therapeutic horticulture can help everyone and specifically how it can be valuable to the military community, both serving and veterans. If you are interested in coming along to learn more and explore Tuppenny Barn, then go to their website for more details – www.tuppennybarn.co.uk/event/social-and-therapeutic-horticulture-symposium
If you cannot attend, then why not explore helping a local horticultural charity near you, by volunteering or donating? Explore the www.gardening4health.co.uk website to find a local organisation near you that may need your help.
