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Erica Barnet: The garden pathways project is part of our overall service which is really
focused around employment and training opportunities for adults with mental ill health. And it’s
all about giving them opportunities to progress forward in their lives, making the link between
physical health, good physical health and good mental health. We have a gardening project
where we go to an allotment and work cultivating the allotment, growing vegetable, producing
pickles and chutneys back here in the training kitchen for sale at farmer’s markets. We
have walking groups here in the city and in the country as well. We have diet and nutrition
workshops where we bring in nutritionist and dieticians to show service user how to prepare
healthy meals.
Jean Sheldon: The difference that the garden pathways project makes to people’s lives
is that it enables them to feel part of the community and take part in normal activities
that everybody else does that hasn’t been available to them before. It’s a whole,
it encompasses the whole of their lives in that it improves their self confidence, self
esteem and there’s a feeling of belonging.
Male Speaker: When I come here I meet people with the same illnesses and it makes me empathise
with them and I feel better and I feel welcomed.
Female Speaker: I really wouldn’t manage without it. I think if I was left my own devices,
would not have anything to encourage me or set me back on the path to health, or better
health I should say. I’d very soon be poorly again.
Jean Sheldon: Having the support of Big Lottery Funding has enabled our project to keep going
basically, it started off years ago on a smaller scale but we’ve been able to accommodate
more service users and provide different activities and for people to progress really through
the journey of the project.
Male Speaker 2: I’ve really enjoyed myself it’s brought me out of myself and then,
we’re able to talk a lot better like you know I didn’t know that so I don’t know
what I’d do without.