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LIFE BEYOND THE MILITARY – OUTDOORS
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Great teamwork has kept seedlings thriving and raised beds prepared for new planting.

April 30, 2023

Team working has been the order of the day during April. After taking a well-earned break earlier in the month, I’ve been grateful for all the staff on the Unit and our Gardening Volunteers who have spent time looking after the therapeutic garden areas and continuing to see patients in my absence. This is very much appreciated and has meant that our plants are still thriving, and patients who come regularly to Horticultural Therapy sessions have still been seen. The greenhouse is full to the brim as we wait till the frosts have passed to start planting out.

Backfilling raised beds

The main task this month has been moving 5 tonnes of topsoil donated by British Sugar, to backfill 5 of the raised beds in the Pears Walled Garden due to the level in the beds having dropped as the soil settled. An entire bed needed the perennial plants digging out, dividing, re-planting, and watering in. Amazingly we managed to do all of this in one day. Again, help came from all quarters-staff on the Unit, Gardening Volunteer Ali, HighGround Trustee Tim Green and Rural Employment Manager Tim Lever. We quite simply couldn’t have done it without everyone chipping in. The space looks great with new areas now ready for planting.

One of the patients came supported by Occupational Therapy staff. It was a good opportunity to engage in a more physically challenging task to work on standing tolerance, balance, and upper body strength through digging out and re-planting perennials. Turning compost and mulching beds with compost has also been another task providing an opportunity to work on these skills. One of our vocational Rehab Occupational Therapists has found it a useful way to further assess transferable skills looking ahead to different career opportunities for some of our patients.

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Jane

HG adheres to the latest government and unit policy in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Planting out perennials – OT Kelly with Jane.

Rose and Tulip bed.

Digging up and dividing perennial plants – Tim Green, Tim Lever and Glen from Unit Assist.

Newly levelled raised bed.

Tea break – Volunteer Ali and Glen from Unit Assist.

Tim Lever watering the newly planted perennial bed.