We are delighted to announce the launch of our new project at Vale Community Hospital in Dursley. We will be developing unused ground at the front of the hospital and installing up to 40 raised bed allotments for local individuals and groups interested in growing their own fruit and vegetables.
There is a growing body of evidence to support gardening and Horticultural Therapy use in patients with improving a wide range of conditions, including physical and mental health problems as well as helping with obesity, lack of exercise, healthy eating, stress, anxiety and social isolation. The development of this unused area of land will help to advance the quality of care and aftercare for patients, vulnerable people and the wider community.
Individuals can apply for an allotment through the new Social Prescription initiative and can be referred by their GPs and other health staff. Support is available in starting an allotment and there will be workshops on different aspects of growing food successfully. Each allotment will be in a raised bed measuring 16’x4’. There will be special matting and ramps to allow wheelchair access, plus a large shed for storage of equipment, seating and tea and coffee making facilities.
In addition to patients being directly referred, it is envisaged that patients who have experienced heart attacks and angina can use the allotments as part of their cardiac rehabilitation. Patients will be referred using a Social Prescription which links patients with non-medical sources of support within the community. Others to benefit will be local people who are on waiting lists for allotments in Dursley or live nearby.
The area will be fully landscaped with flowers and herbs and the planting of fruit trees to create a small orchard. The initial set up of allotments will be organised by Down to Earth with support from Bisley Community Composting Scheme.
At 9am on Friday 15th April 2016 the pilot stage of the development of the Vale Community Hospital Allotment Scheme will begin. The first ground will be broken and the first trees will be planted with the help of local volunteers including students from the Peak Academy in Dursley and Down to Earth volunteers and gardeners. Thanks especially to the Gloucestershire County Council Active Together scheme which has helped fund this project, the Dursley GP Commissioning Group, Vale Community Hospital League of Friends, Bisley Community Composting Scheme and Dursley Town Council.
This initial tree planting is a pilot project and the rest of the site development can start when the outcome of funding applications is known, but hopefully allotments will be ready for sowing of winter crops. Workshops are planned for the summer and will include an introduction to composting, sowing seeds, which way up to plant your onions and pollinators and predators!
The scheme is looking to recruit further volunteers and interested allotment holders including community groups ready to start stage 2 which will be the build of the site (i.e. the shed, raised beds etc) and for community involvement in its development and the creation of workshops to develop skills and knowledge. Sponsorship and donations are also welcome.
If you are interested in volunteering or being involved in any way please email: valehospitalallotments@downtoearthstroud.co.uk
Our Facebook page with details of the event is at: www.facebook.com/ValeCommunityHospitalAllotmentScheme
Update: Thanks to all for coming and especially:
Clare Nelmes, Mayor of Dursley
Neil Grecian, Deputy Mayor
Doina Cornell, Steve Lydon and Geoff Wheeler from Stroud District Council
Mike Burdge, Vale Community Hospital League of Friends
The Gloucestershire Gazette
Stroud Life/Gloucester Citizen
BBC Radio Gloucestershire – listen at 42 minutes to our interview on the Anna King show – http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03nxkct
