On Monday 18th October 2021, our volunteer Ken, Service Manager Rachael and Learning & Support Worker Tracy attended the Energy Plus Think Tank session held at Trafford Hall to represent our community garden PIER and share their experience of community-based horticulture.
As a guest speaker at the event, Rachael discussed the impact of community horticulture and green social prescribing on our communities and the environment.
She shared the story of how our community garden was developed, some of the celebrations and challenges that the PIER team have experienced and how environmental issues, in particularly flooding in Rochdale, had inspired our award-winning garden at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 2021.
Rachael also discussed the role of green care in supporting the health and wellbeing of our communities and how while it is increasingly accepted that it has a role to play at creating healthier, safer and more sustainable communities, there is now a need to move towards embedding green care in healthcare systems through social prescribing.
During the event, Ken, Rachael and Tracy caught up with inspired community growers and people passionate about environmental issues, and they really enjoyed sharing ideas and learning of the experiences of others.
While there, avid gardener Ken checked out the water collection system from the roof in Trafford Hall's beautiful grounds and took away plenty of inspiration to bring back to PIER!
Speaking about the experience, Ken said: “It was a great day, I really liked meeting other community gardeners and shared lots of tips and advice.”
To find out more about our social prescribing work, please contact Rachael at rachael.bennion@petrus.org.uk