Throughout the warmer months we offer a number of outdoor activities to our clients to support wellbeing and encourage active pursuits whilst learning new things together.
Grow for Life
One of the activities we advertise to our clients is Grow for Life, a charity based in Newton St Loe. The walled garden’s purpose is to provide social and therapeutic gardening sessions for people affected by low confidence, anxiety, depression or isolation.
Some of our clients attended a 6-session course where they tended to the garden by planting, watering, weeding and harvesting. I joined them on their last week when we began by harvesting some garlic bulbs. We gently eased the bulbs up, being careful not to disturb the soil which nurtured other growing plants around them.
As we knelt between the rows of growing crops, harvesting as we went, we chatted together about our lives, our families, new homes and discovered shared interests. The weather was mostly kind to us, but as the clouds rolled over, we went inside the small polytunnel and sat amongst the seedlings with cups of tea. The topic of conversation moved to a fungus one of the clients had seen on the drive in through the village. Together we learnt about ‘chicken of the woods’ which is yellow in colour and can be eaten.
Put back to work, a few of us watered, some lay new chipping between the beds and a few planted a new row of marigolds, which had been grown from seed by other volunteers. As it was the last week, I asked a few participants what they’d enjoyed most. Many enjoyed the rhythm of the two-hour session, and the therapeutic nature of seeing a task through to completion. There was something special about being a small part of a larger project. Some people plant, others water and others harvest. The cycle continues.
Walking for Good
Throughout May and June, staff member Paul Solly led our clients on walks around Bath. Each Thursday afternoon a group would walk together for about 3 hours, finding new paths and discovering new views of the beautiful city.
Some of the comments from the ten clients who attended the walks include,
‘My mental health improved.’
‘Exploring and discovering new areas of Bath. Being my authentic self. Excellent staffing.’
‘I’m grateful for the walks. Thank you.’
Walking together makes it easy for conversations to begin, providing a social aspect as well as an opening to offer further support.
You don’t have to travel far to get into the countryside surrounding Bath, which is great for mental health and often provides a different perspective on life. Walking for Good is a regular in the Genesis Life Projects calendar and always valued by our clients.
Guided Tree Walk
On a sunny Tuesday afternoon in June, several of our clients were led around Snow Hill to see the range of trees it holds. Bath Urban Treescape’s led the guided tree walk. ‘Tree enthusiast’ Hugh Williamson told us about 27 trees including birches, alders and cherry trees. He was accompanied by Bathscape’s Lucy Bartlett, who gave out leaflets for other tree walks around the city.
Some of the clients were local to Snow Hill and one client knew a lot about the trees we saw and added some interesting information to Hugh’s knowledgeable tour. It was lovely to notice a different aspect of Snow Hill and appreciate how many trees call it home. The London plane trees, which shaded the playground, were as old as Snow Hill, sixty years, and were large for their years. We saw a few examples of the field maple, native to the UK, and learnt the difference between small-leaved and broad-leaved lime trees, common across Bath.
The little loop, which took us back round to the Gateway Centre, took 90 minutes. It was lovely to share that time with our clients around the local area and see what important trees it holds within Bath and that it too is a unique environment with a tour of its own.
More to come
Over the summer months ahead we’ll also be hosting a BBQ for our clients and have a planned trip up to All Cycle Bath & West for an afternoon of cycling around the Odd Down track, which is always well attended and enjoyed by our clients.
Genesis Life Projects is so grateful to hold partnerships with the likes of Grow for Life and Bath Urban Treescape. It is wonderful to be able to offer our clients such interesting and therapeutic activities whilst enjoying the outdoors.
