Health board partners with horticultural charity to help people with mental health conditions

A health board has joined forces with a horticultural charity to offer gardening, outdoor activities and skills development to help people with mental health conditions and also those with learning disabilities or neurological conditions.

Flora Cultura is a charity based in the Black Mountains offering social therapeutic horticulture for people across Mid-Wales

As a result of the partnership with Powys Teaching Health Board (PTBH) , it is now looking after a large section of the former orchard and kitchen garden at Bronllys Hospital, bringing them back into use while also working with patients and staff to improve mental and physical wellbeing.

Patients can be referred to the service by any health department or organisation, by Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations Community Connectors or they can self-refer.

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Wellbeing

Rashid Benoy, one of the Directors of the charity, said: “This site has previously been managed horticulturally, however it has been some time since people have been gardening this area. So it's a really great opportunity for our charity to have a space where we can create a home and a garden and for us to work in, but also for the hospital as well.

"We really hope that the patients coming to the hospital, whether they be inpatients or outpatients and the staff get to use this garden for their wellbeing.”

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'Big difference'

Mark Stafford Tolley, PTHB’s Community Liaison Officer, said “I am delighted for the health board to be working with Flora Cultura, who have already been making a really big difference. They have received referrals from a number of different PTHB services and I am sure will go from strength to strength with their knowledge and experience of social therapeutic horticulture. ”

Those interested in in finding out more can do so at www.floracultura.org.uk