On 14 March 2017, the Seed of Hope group celebrated the first anniversary of their Spring Orchard Project. The group secured a £10,000 grant from Tesco Bags of Help in spring 2016 to spend on improving the facilities in Cannington Community Orchard.

Since receiving this grant, the group have successfully renovated an old shed and created a wildlife hide. They’ve created two seating areas to allow people to enjoy the natural environment, and native plants have been added into the orchard to provide colour, year-round interest, to encourage pollinators and promote mental wellbeing.

A selection of herbs with benefits to mental health have also been grown, and raised beds created from recycled scaffold boards have been added to allow those less physically able to garden. The group have also created a Recovery Path which illustrates the journey through mental health difficulties.

Kris Scotting, co-founder of Seed of Hope said,

“It's been amazing how much the plants, people and group have grown over the past twelve months. We have had a few setbacks but the group have rallied together to overcome them. The success of the project has been beyond what we’d had hoped and planned for. This was highlighted when we were awarded “Outstanding” by the Royal Horticultural Society South West in Bloom judges. This year we are looking forward to being part of the national finals as part of Cannington in Bloom entry.”

Cannington Community Orchard is owned and managed by Bridgwater & Taunton College. Seed of Hope, a Social and Therapeutic Horticulture project, is a not-for-profit partnership with the College, Cannington Centre and Kris Scotting, Care Consultants Ltd.

www.canningtonwalledgardens.co.uk

Bags of Help is Tesco’s exciting local community grant scheme where the money raised from the 5p bag charge is being used to fund thousands of local projects in communities right across the UK. Projects that bring benefit to their community will get the green light – these range from improving community buildings and outdoor spaces to buying new equipment, training coaches or volunteers and hosting community events.

Photograph: Members of the Seed of Hope group in the seated area of Cannington Community Orchard.