00:00St Martin's Hospital in Canterbury is marking National Volunteers Week by celebrating the
00:05volunteers who have helped create and maintain Webb's Garden, which is a therapeutic space
00:10that supports people's mental health.
00:13The garden helps support mental health recovery by giving people the opportunity to come outdoors,
00:17connect with others and participate in gardening activities.
00:21The garden provides year-round access and forms an important part of the wellbeing support
00:26available at the hospital, offering a calm environment where people can reflect, relax
00:31and focus on their recovery.
00:33It is completely essential that we have volunteers here at Webb's Garden.
00:37So our garden is around two acres, we only have 20 regular volunteers who are looking
00:42after the space and their roles are really to make the space what it is.
00:47While volunteers have helped shape the garden, staff say the space plays an important role
00:52in supporting patients' wellbeing, particularly for those that may not otherwise have access
00:57to green outdoor spaces.
01:00Having spent a lot of time in mental health, you know, as a nurse, there's certainly different
01:06mental health stress that I've worked in where there's a real lack of outdoor space or the
01:11opportunity to experience outdoor space.
01:14I would certainly say what it does do is it stops someone being able to just have a break.
01:24The project has also been supported by a local house builder, Redrow South East.
01:29Last year they donated £10,000 towards the creation of a new summer house, which patients
01:35now have the option to use for therapy sessions.
01:37So at Redrow it allows our staff to give back through volunteering.
01:43And their time to donate towards charities and organisations that matter for the community
01:49and the wider audience, staff, patients, and therefore any volunteers who want to come
01:54out here and volunteer their own time.
01:56The garden may be filled with plants and flowers, but those involved say it's the sense
02:00of community from the volunteers that's really helped it bloom.
02:04Maisie Walker for KMTV, Canterbury.
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