Mature students on a pioneering gardening course in Mid-Wales are making history – as well as growing fruit and veg.
The “life-changing” Open Minds project in Newtown has been designed to help people who have or who are at risk of suffering mental health problems.
It’s being run by adult education specialists Coleg Harlech WEA in partnership with the mental health charity, the Ponthafren Association, in Longbridge Street.
The green-fingered students are hoping to set social enterprise to sell produce and possibly even offer garden design and landscaping services in the future.
As part of the gardening scheme, five of them are also studying for Diplomas in Progression and Employability accredited by Agored Cymru.
It’s believed they are the first in Wales to study for such demanding diplomas through a mental health centre.
Their achievements impressed two Mid and West Wales AMs, Rebecca Evans and Joyce Watson, who came on a visit.
Rebecca Evans said: “It’s fantastic, I don’t think a single inch has gone unused and their plans to develop further are very ambitious.”
Joyce Watson, a keen gardener herself, added: “I understand how people can learn skills in a relaxed way and how they can literally see the fruits of their labour and how that will give them confidence in itself.”
Coleg Harlech’s North Powys Learning Manager, Lynda Jones, is extremely proud of what’s being achieved.
She said: “The Ponthafren Association has been doing incredible work for many years and the Open Minds project is funded by the Big Lottery to promote well being for people who either have or are at risk of mental health issues.
“Mainstream funding doesn’t lend itself very easily to people with mental health challenges because they can be sometimes well and sometimes not so well, attendance can be difficult.
“Initially at least confidence is usually very, very low and skills and qualifications are almost non-existent in a lot of people.
“The project has enabled us to be much more flexible in the way we operate in terms of providing courses.
“This is probably the first time people have done such a big qualification in a mental health centre, I have never heard of it done elsewhere. They’re making a bit of history.”
Among the success stories is Jan Rogers, 49, who has been suffering from mental health problems for 20 years.
She said: “Around seven years ago, I was in hospital more than I was out of it, always on a Section. I haven’t been in hospital for more than 12 months and that was as a voluntary patient.
“I came here as a volunteer and ended up as a Support Worker. It’s hard to put into words how much Ponthafren does for you, it really does make a difference.
“I am really proud of what we have achieved as a group, the gardening courses have completely turned my life around.”
It’s also been a positive, life-changing experience for Mark Darby, 39.
He said: “I come here most days, it keeps you positive when you’ve got an illness. I come here to meet like-minded people and it makes the day go more quickly. You have a result at the end of it’.
Equally enthusiastic was Angela Wood, 55, who’s been coming to the centre for two years.
She said: “Coming here has given me my life back by coming and meeting new friends. There’s a real community here.
“I had fybromyalgia so I was in a huge amount of pain, I didn’t leave the house hardly but gradually the garden has got me fitter and fitter.
“We’ve all been very lucky and we support each other so you’re never on your own unless you want to be.”
Coleg Harlech Tutor Dave Burridge glows with pride when he talks about his gardening students and their plans for the future.
He said: “The vision for the social enterprise is to create a business that will produce vegetables, fruit and plants that we can sell as well as maybe offering landscaping and garden design services to the general public in future to raise funds for the centre.
“It’s early days but there is the opportunity for some people to become self-employed or employed and make some income.
“The interest in horticulture is encouraging people to find ways of coping with their mental health challenges.
“The garden is still there for them to return if they experience a period away from classes when they have not been quite so well – the recovery process may often be a long term and on-going process for learners with mental health challenges.
“It really makes my heart sing to see all the work that they have done and how much progress they have made in learning all the different skills.
“It’s all about getting self-confidence which is what these courses are all about so they can find a way forward that is fulfilling.
“Gardening is particularly helpful because it connects people with the real world, the natural world.”
For more information go to www.harlech.ac.uk
