8/3/2019 Bridgend Allotment Community Health Inclusion Project

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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

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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