Wendy
Wendy, 59, moved into her Grand Union home in a Bedfordshire village in 1994, having lived in the village since the age of 14. Two years ago, after a serious illness, a social prescriber suggested gardening therapy to help with her mental health issues.
Wendy was one of the first to join our Gardening for Wellbeing Group.
“I love gardening, so I was keen on the idea, but I was so worried about meeting people. I was really nervous before that first session, worried about what would happen.
“But there were only three people there and Emma Dagless, Grand Union’s Wellbeing Coordinator, was very nice, she really understood.
“It’s become a really nice group – there’s just five of us. During spring, summer and autumn, we garden for a couple of hours on a Tuesday afternoon in Flitwick.
“During the second winter, when we were not gardening, I joined a 12-week healthy eating cookery class, also run by Grand Union. There were four of us there from the gardening sessions.
“I really enjoyed it, trying a lot of food I’d not tried before. I’m now using more herbs in my food to make my food taste different and I’m making a lot more meals from scratch.”
Not content with just gardening and cooking, Wendy then decided to do some volunteering, and has been helping out for a few hours every week at activity days at our older persons’ scheme at Beverley Court in Clophill.
“I think it’s good that Grand Union offer these services as it’s really helped me with my mental health to be with other people and get me out of my house.”
Back Wendy was one of the first to join our Gardening for Wellbeing Group.
“I love gardening, so I was keen on the idea, but I was so worried about meeting people. I was really nervous before that first session, worried about what would happen.
“But there were only three people there and Emma Dagless, Grand Union’s Wellbeing Coordinator, was very nice, she really understood.
“It’s become a really nice group – there’s just five of us. During spring, summer and autumn, we garden for a couple of hours on a Tuesday afternoon in Flitwick.
“During the second winter, when we were not gardening, I joined a 12-week healthy eating cookery class, also run by Grand Union. There were four of us there from the gardening sessions.
“I really enjoyed it, trying a lot of food I’d not tried before. I’m now using more herbs in my food to make my food taste different and I’m making a lot more meals from scratch.”
Not content with just gardening and cooking, Wendy then decided to do some volunteering, and has been helping out for a few hours every week at activity days at our older persons’ scheme at Beverley Court in Clophill.
“I think it’s good that Grand Union offer these services as it’s really helped me with my mental health to be with other people and get me out of my house.”
