AUDIT
Our Seasonal Gardening Training Programme has given care workers and volunteer carers a treasure trove of activity ideas and an injection of confidence. The training courses are designed to allow people in care settings to keep gardening all year round and include instruction on technique as well as a host of ideas for things to do in each season. We also advise on how to modify activities to fit different health conditions so they’re achievable and enjoyable for people whatever their circumstances. So far, we’ve run our Autumn and Winter training days, one of each in both Kilmarnock, Ayrshire and Perth, enabling over 30 carers to broaden their repertoire and keep gardening programmes going right through the seasons. The Spring and Summer days are also nearly fully booked, but the last places can be booked here.
“Highly recommend this course; it is inspiring, extremely engaging, practical and relevant to many settings. Joan makes the course extremely fun, and worth the 320+ mile round trip. The course is competitively priced and more easily accessible than other options. I cannot wait for the final two days of the course in spring and summer 2020. Thank you Trellis for providing such fabulous opportunities.”
Gardening for Healthy Lungs
In October we were invited to run a garden workshop for a group of people living with severe COPD and other lung conditions at Queen Victoria Hospital in Glasgow. The group, several of whom were very unwell, eagerly potted up easy to care for succulent plants to take home as well as sowing pea seed to harvest as pea shoots. They enjoyed the gentle, social exercise as well as learning a new skill. We made simple adaptations to minimise lung irritation, such as slightly dampening compost before scooping it up to minimise dust.
Winter Inspiration in the Heart of a Botanic Garden
In November we ran a Network Meeting and training day at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh where 25 people swapped ideas for Winter Activities. Some of the ideas shared included making Kokedama, the Japanese art of binding plants rather than growing them in pots, making ‘fat pot’ bird feeders, wreaths and willow hurdles, and seed saving. We also ran a problem-solving session allowing participants to find help and ideas to address the things that holding them back at their projects.
What people said they found useful:
-So important for me to get to connect with others who do similar job. It gives me great confidence and perspective.
-Inspiring! Very well run and well led. Leaders and presenters were very good.
-The sharing of common issues and the potential solutions to these.
And what they’ll do with their new learning:
-I have a wealth of new activity ideas and places to look for resources.
-Gained more ideas for our winter allotment group.
-Lots of ideas to use with volunteer groups & share with colleagues.
-Use in the improved delivery of my art/garden groups.
-Improved knowledge on how to motivate others e.g. support workers, volunteers.
For more information about upcoming training click here