SERC Secure Funding for Holywood Horticultural Therapy Garden

SERC, has secured £6,000 funding from the Ulster Garden Villages Ltd Grant Fund, to develop an ambitious and creative project to design, implement and maintain a horticultural therapy garden for the Holywood community that will support the local people with mental health, physical health and spiritual health aspects of life.  The garden will be built on the Holywood Campus Grounds and the fund money will go towards garden building work and for lecturers to receive training in providing horticultural therapy.

Horticulture therapy is the process of using plants and gardens to improve physical and mental health, as well as developing communication and thinking skills.  A horticultural therapy garden is considered as being a safe and secure place to develop someone's ability to mix socially, make friends and learn practical skills that will help them to be more independent.  

The garden will be designed to provide therapy input for the following members of the community: 

• People with physical disabilities, mainly cognitive and / or musculoskeletal impairments  
• People who are suffering from mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression 
• Provide a sanctuary and healthy living space for people being treated for cancer or on an end of life pathway 
• Support people who are suffering from obesity. 
• Support the elderly who may be suffering from loneliness or dementia 

Kim Godsman, Communications and Marketing, SERC, commented, 'Over the last few years there has been a growing body of evidence supporting the benefits of horticultural therapy, community growing, green spaces and outdoor education for physical and mental wellbeing. Horticultural therapy and other tasks involved in community growing (such as regular exercise), alongside healthier eating patterns (usually the result of eating fresh produce grown in the garden), are often cited in such research. This exciting project will provide a therapy space and therapy sessions to the local Hollywood community' 

Building the garden will start soon after the Covid-19 lockdown period comes to an end.   

This is an exciting adventure for SERC, our partners and more importantly, the residents of Holywood. 

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