Post on 07-Apr-2018
8/3/2019 Bridgend Allotment Community Health Inclusion Project
1/2
Location Craigmillar,Edinburgh
Summary Communityorganicgardeningprojectwhichengagesindividualsandlocalcommunitiesingrowing theirownruitandvegetablestotacklechronichealthproblemsarisingrompovertyandsocialisolation.
Health benefts - Goodmentalhealthandwellbeingpromotedbybuildingpeoples condenceandskilllevelsandthroughworkingtogethertocreateagarden
- Physicalhealthimprovementsromtheintroductionohealthyoodthatpeoplehavegrown
themselves,cookingworkshops,eatingtogetheranddiscussingoodchoicesinormally
- Physicalhealthimprovementsromthephysicalactivityinherentingardening
- Inarecentsurvey,allrespondentssaidthatbeinginvolvedintheprojecthelpedthemtokeep
active,madethemeelhappier,helpedthemeelmorepartothings,letthemmakeacontribution
tosomethingworthwhileandmadethemeelbetteroverall
Keys to success and learning points Focusongrowingandeatinghealthyoodtogether,ratherthanthenegativeaspectsorproblemsinpeoplesliveswhich mighthavebroughtthemtotheprojectinitially,isessentialtotheprojectssuccess.
Manypeopledontlikeaccessingmentalhealthservicesintheareainwhichtheylivesoundingorotherrestrictions whichlimitinvolvementtoadenedgeographicareaimmediatelyaroundaparticularlocationcanrepresentabarrier
toinclusion
Peopleoallagesandabilitiesfourishinthenon-threateningenvironmentassociatedwithgardeningandgrowing,and newcomersareabsorbedintothegroupattheirownpace.
Inormaldrop-insessionsremovepressureorcommitmentwhichcandetersomepeopleromcomingalong.
Organisingeventsandothereventsatweekendsenablesawidergroupopeopletobeinvolved,includingamilies. Beingatandworkingtheallotmentprovidesadegreeoocus,structureandpurposetomanyotheparticipantslives, andbecomesanimportantpartomanyotheparticipantsweeklyroutine,withsomedependingonitorsocialcontact.
Maintainingormalandinormalsessionsyear-roundisthereoreimportantalthoughabreakmaybenecessaryorthe
organiserstoconsolidateprojectdevelopment.
Makingsocialinclusionworkonthegroundmeansdisregardingpeoplescasehistoriesorhandicapsandocusingon theirinterestsandneeds.
Oneothegreatstrengthsotheprojectisthatitallowseachindividualtomakewhattheywantotheirinvolvement. Monitoringanddemonstratingtangiblebenetsisotencriticaltosecuringandmaintainingundingbutbureaucracyand
tryingtopredictspecicoutputscanconfictwithsocialinclusionandmaximisinghealthbenetsorindividuals.
Anon-judgementalethos,absenceopressureandwarmwelcomingatmosphereareessentialtoencouraging participationandmaximisingmentalhealthbenets.
Learningtogetherandromoneanother,workingtogether,harvesting,cookingandeatingtogetherallcontribute towellbeing.
CommitmenttoinvestinginprojectparticipantsaskeystakeholdersisamajorcontributoryactorinthesuccessoBACHIPs
HealthAndNaturalHeritageCaseStudies
Bridgend Allotment CommunityHealth Inclusion Project
8/3/2019 Bridgend Allotment Community Health Inclusion Project
2/2
About the project
BridgendAllotmentCommunityHealthInclusionProject
(BACHIPs)wasestablishedinApril2006onanewcouncil
allotmentsitedevelopedinoneotheeldsotheormer
BridgendFarminthehistoricCraigmillarCastleParkonthe
OldDalkeithRoadnearCameronToll,onthesouthsideo
Edinburgh.Theaimistopromoteanholisticapproachtohealth
byencouragingpeopletoengageinphysicaloutdooractivity,
healthyeating,andmixingwithothersthroughthepracticaland
companionableworkinvolvedincreatingagarden.Thewholeocusisonpro-activehealthpromotion,ratherthanreactive
treatmentoillness.
Intotalthereare58plotsontheallotmentsite,ourowhichare
usedbythehealthproject.Eachplotmeasures18mby9m,and
hasashedwitharainwaterbutt.Therearealsoeightsmallplots
inapavedareaorusebycharitiesandotherlocalgroupswhich
canbeconvertedtoraisedbedsorwheelchairusersasrequired.
TheRoyalCaledonianHorticulturalSocietyalsohasalarge
demonstrationplot.ThelandbelongstoEdinburghCityCouncil.
Althoughintendedprimarilyasareerralschemeorsocialand
therapeutichorticulture,BACHIPswelcomeseveryone,whatever
theirage,background,knowledgeorability.Theyoungest
participantsoarwasagedtwo,theoldestinhis70s.Some
peoplesel-reer,othersarereerredtotheprojectthrougha
numberosupportagenciesandhealthproessionals,including
LinkIn,Bethany,TheThistle,KeepWell,HealthInequalitiesTeam,
GPs,thevolunteerCentre,CommunityServiceVolunteersand
REH.Theprojectoersolderpeopletheopportunitytoescape
thelonelinessosocialisolation.Youngpeopleandchildrennd
rolemodelsandsurrogategrandparents.Thosewhohavelost
theirselcondencethroughillnessorotherreasonsregaintheiresteemandasenseowell-beingthroughinvolvementin
theproject.
Initialphoneenquiriesinresponsetolocalmediacoverage,
eventsandopendaysareollowedupbycompletionoasimple
registrationormprovidingcontactdetailsandprevious
experience.Duringtherstyear50individualsregistered,and
theprojectenabledagreatmixopeopletodiscoverorrekindle
thedelightsogrowingruitandvegetables,workingtogether
andharvestingtheirood.TuesdaysandThursdaysarerunas
drop-insessionswhichallowspeopletodecideontherequency
andhourstheyattend,varyingbetweenindividualsandromweek
toweek.Onaverage10-15peopleattendeachothetwodays.
Cookingsessionshavebecomearegulareventandthe
atmosphereishappyandrelaxed.Stimulatingnewrelationships
amongpeoplewhohavebecomeisolatedoravarietyoreasons
isasimportantasthephysicalhealthbenetsromdiggingor
healthiereating.
FromJune2006,BACHISstartedworkingwithgroupsatthe
allotment,includinghighschoolchildren,agroupoSikhwomen
andyounghomelesswomenwithchildren.Programmeso
workshopsoermorestructuredlearningopportunitiesandareeasiertoplan,withscopetodevelopotherenvironmentallinks,or
exampleawalkthroughCraigmillarParkocusingonbiodiversity.
Aswellastheplots,theprojectdoesoutreachworkwithschools
andcommunities,healthfatsandgroupswhowanttosetuptheir
ownood-growingprojects.Communityeventsincludingweekend
Further inormationwww.bridgendallotment.co.uk
Anne Jepson,
Bridgend Allotment Site,
Bridgend Farm, 41 Dalkeith Road
Edinburgh EH16
Tel. 07789 500388
Anne.jepson@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
gardeningworkshops,communitylunchesusingproduce
grownontheallotments,opendaysandpotatodayshelpraise
awarenessotheprojectandextendthebenetsbeyondthose
directlyinvolved.Theaimistoencouragepeopletomove
throughtheprojectontootherthings,ideallyintegratingwhat
theyhavelearntintotheirdailylives,whilstallowingindividualsto
stayaslongastheyneedaccordingtotheirowncircumstances.
Someothosewhohavebeeninvolvedarealreadygrowing
vegetablesontheirownathome,whileothersarenowworking
withtheirchildrensschooltosetupgrowingprojects.
TheprojectismanagedbytheCommunityHealthProject
(NHSLothian),withCityoEdinburghCouncilasanactive
partner,andispartotheScottishnetworkorsocialand
therapeutichorticulture(Trellis)andmembersotheFederation
oCityFarmsandCommunityGardens.Itemploystwo
ull-timegardeners/projectstaplussessionalsta,initially
undedthroughLothianNHSTrust,ollowedbyasuccessul
bidtoBigLotteryInvestinginCommunitiesthroughwhich
undinghasnowsecuredoraurthertwoyears.
Thewide-rangingmentalandphysicalhealthbenetsoBACHISarewidelyrecognisedbyallinvolved,butwhileitis
relativelystraightorwardtorecordthenumberoparticipants,
mediainterestandreerralroutes,measuringandmonitoring
healthbenetsisarmoreoachallenge.Inclusionoquestions
onregistrationormsintendedtotrackprogresshaveproved
impractical,notleastbecausetheydependonsubjective
personalassessmentbyparticipantsohowtheyratetheirown
physicalandmentalhealthbeoreandaterinvolvementwiththe
project.Participantsexperiencesotheprojecthavebeen
documentedthroughocusgroupsandindividualinterviews,
andsurveysundertakentologparticipantsviewsand
responsestotheproject.Inevitablylongertermundingislikely
todependonprovingtoundersandpolicymakersthatthe
projectmakesagenuinedierencetopeopleslives.Tothis
end,moreappropriatemeansomoresubtlymonitoringproject
outputsarecurrentlybeingdeveloped.Opportunitiesorthe
localcommunitytobecomemoreinvolvedintherunningothe
projectarealsobeingdeveloped.
Theconnectionwiththeearthhasgivenmeasense ofbelonging.Ithasbroughtmeaningandpurposeback
intomylife.
Bridgendhasbeenareallypositiveexperience.Mydoctor saysImmuchstronger...thoughtImreadytocomeoff
theanti-depressants.
Source:SNHHealthandNaturalHeritageCaseStudiesreport,
VyvWood-Gee,31March2008