Minster Surgery is aiming to raise £30,000 to create “Thanet’s first therapy garden.”
The site will be based within the surgery grounds and aims to “help improve the quality of life of vulnerable and isolated patients belonging to the surgery and the wider local community.”
Stuart Male is leading the project on behalf of Minster Surgery and has launched a spacehive page to raise the funds.
On it, he says: “ It is a first for the area, with there currently being no other surgeries that offer a space people can access for horticultural therapy.
“Therapeutic gardening in a supportive environment, working in conjunction with social prescribers, can be a useful tool in the fight against low mood, anxiety and social isolation. It can also help with mental and physical health and wellbeing.
“The garden will allow participants to be able to sow seeds, grow vegetables, tend to plant beds, and even make a cup of tea, have a chat and relax in a nature filled environment. With accessible paths planned throughout, we are making sure as many people as possible can enjoy this space.
“Funding for this garden is essential as this is a not for profit project and without funding simply cannot be achieved.”
The garden will include composting, companion planting, hügelkultur, rainwater harvesting. A polytunnel for year-round growing, a solar powered refreshment shed, a nature sculpture by a local artist, plants, herbs, veg, a pond, bird boxes, bug hotels, wildflower patch and a hedgehog highway.
The surgery says: “The garden will provide healing, first and foremost to patients that need some extra support whether they are suffering from isolation, overcoming some physical issues as a result of surgery or ill health and an overall place that will positively impact the mental health of all participants involved.
“We understand how important this project is to our local community. Through therapeutic horticulture participants can: Reduce depression, anxiety and stress-related symptoms Ease some symptoms of dementia, such as agitation, restlessness and associated distress Increase the ability to concentrate and engage Reduce reliance on medication Reduce self-harming behaviour.
“The benefits of sustained gardening can also increase physical health through exercise and learning how to use or strengthen muscles to improve mobility.”
The team has already raise almost £11,000 for the project and plan to have a grand opening when it is ready to be used.
Dr Maghem is absolutely fantastic she is an amazing DR and a credit to women in the industry, PROUD TO KNOW YOU DR MANGHSM.
Next to impossible to see a Doctor without having the third degree first, you can’t get a tetanus jab or have your ears syringed, but you will be able to grow a carrot and have a cup of tea, the NHS is making great strides in the 21st century.
Sometimes, a carrot and a cuppa is all one needs to feel better.
Ha ha
“Next to impossible to see a Doctor without having the third degree first,”
Nah, it isn’t. Request an appt, tell them its between you and the Dr, as you value your privacy. If they stumble, contact practice manager and get it resolved…
I think the NHS has bigger challenges with Tory government in charge without worrying about a garden.
What a brilliant idea not everyone has outside space and being with nature takes you away from the spill of social media and expectations of life. It will also help people to make friends. This will benefit a lot of people well done you are a credit to your community
Excellent initiative which should be funded by the NHS everywhere. The Blackthorn trust in Maidstone has provided a wonderful example of this for years. Nature certainly heals more than many big pharma drugs with numerous side effects. https://www.blackthorn.org.uk/visit-blackthorn-trust/our-garden/
I agree for once. Doctors should also prescribe walking outdoors for both depression and obesity.
I hear that they do.
I think the garden is a great idea and were it not for the fact that there’s such an acute shortage of GPs it’d be entirely positive. As it is, initiatives like this are sticking plasters – surgeries want to help patients in any way they can but most of all they need more staff.
Agreed… but the best way we can all help the NHS is by doing our best to be fit and healthy.
Tell me you’ve never heard of social prescribing, without telling me, Ms Stink.
Astrological gardening? Sounds like ex-hippy nonsense.
the only mention of astrological on this page is yours, using a CTRL-F search for the word…