When the North Mersey Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) decided to transform its outdoor space, it never dreamt the impact it would have, or that the journey would be supported, documented, and broadcast to millions, by BBC Two’s 'Your Garden Made Perfect' team.
GMMH’s North Mersey CMHT knew its overgrown outdoor space at Kingslea House in Manchester had untapped potential, and with the pandemic resulting in limited capacity in indoor seating areas, increased isolation for vulnerable service-users, and fewer chances to safely bring people together for fun activities – they decided they could wait no longer. During the pandemic, Captain Sir Tom Moore raised £38.9 million for NHS charities. North Mersey CMHT successfully bid for a small portion to transform its garden into a greener, more welcoming space.
Jenny Massie, Consultant psychiatrist, said: “People visiting our team often have difficulties with anxiety and distress. There’s good evidence that contact with nature can help people move from states of high distress to more positive emotional ones. We wanted to ensure that people who come to Kingslea House feel as relaxed as possible, so they can feel comfortable talking about the things they want help with. It was also important to us to stay connected with our local community, and provide a pleasant, green haven for neighbours in our mostly urban area. We wanted the garden to bring people together safely, and thought a regular gardening group would be a great way to do so.”
The team wanted a beautiful, interactive garden, but, needing expert help, applied to be a part of season two of BBC Two’s Your Garden Made Perfect. It was successful, and the programme’s expert community garden designer, Tayshan Hayden-Smith, worked with it to design and create a visually appealing, therapeutic, and social green outdoor space. The garden transformation also brought together individuals and services from across the Trust. Elizabeth Scantlebury, Wellbeing Therapist at GMMH’s Recovery Pathways service, designed a feature mural which the whole team could contribute to.
Over just five days the team worked to make the design a reality – closely documented by the BBC camera crew. The result was “an amazing garden, which included seating areas, a water feature, wild ‘stepping stones’, raised beds, ‘succulent frames’, and the community mural”, complete with a ‘thank you’ message for Sir Captain Tom.
Rachel Clarke, Advanced clinical practitioner, said: “Our garden has gone from a place you’d walk straight past, to a place you want to sit and enjoy the quiet. It’s a diverse space for people to relax, spend time in nature, or catch up over a cup of tea. Our service-users have really benefitted from being able to wait for appointments there, and sometimes they even stay for just that bit longer once finished. We get many compliments from our neighbours too, and it’s definitely been a great way to attract local wildlife and support conservation efforts.”