Alan’s Story

“I was a gardener, and I was told not to continue with that work but, stubbornly, I did. But I used it in a good way.

I started working in Bath with Horticulture for Therapy, and I’ve been involved with various horticultural charities since then. They describe themselves as a national organisation, but I was like, “you don't go north of Manchester - which nation are we talking about?”

So the directors said, ‘why don't you scoot off up north, and we’ll set you up there.’ So, we had a charity in Edinburgh for a while called HT Scotland. It metamorphosed into Community Gardening Projects Scotland. But at that time there wasn't much money for that kind of thing. It’s easier now because it's recognised as a thing. At the time we were actually having to explain to people what a community garden was, whereas now they’re bog standard.

That particular charity folded at the time but it has resurfaced and it is now called Trellis Scotland. I was one of the founders of Trellis, and was on the board for a number of years. Not anymore, but I’m still connected with it. Trellis helps projects that are using horticulture for social or therapeutic purposes, so they provide advice, they have seminars and conferences and provide training. They’re based in Perth and they assist about 13,000 people a week across Scotland.

There are several hundred projects running across the country. They can be in hospitals, Day Centres, Care Homes, or a community garden. And for people with disabilities they give advice on how to do gardening activities indoors.

I was just reading about one yesterday that’s based in Glasgow. It helps asylum seekers to grow foodstuffs from their own countries. It all just gives people that basis to meet and to integrate and to be supported. It helps to break down barriers when people just relax and get their hands dirty!”

For further information see www.trellisscotland.org.uk