Community Wellness Garden
Fiona Leslie, Development and Alumni Relations Manager
Perth College UHI is committed to the health and wellbeing of its students, staff and community and we have seen this in one way with the creation and operation of The Academy of Sport and Wellbeing (ASW). This is a fantastic facility which provides opportunities to improve our health and wellbeing in many different ways. We are now looking to enhance this provision further by creating an outside area between ASW and the Webster building which aims to improve our general wellbeing by providing space to relax, reflect and rejuvenate and subsequently improve health and care practices. This is especially key at present as we all deal with society’s ‘new normal’ as we manage life alongside the containment of Coronavirus infection.
The intention is to create a Wellness Garden offering an area of exercise, social interaction, events, tranquillity and reflection, supporting a range of curriculum areas to enhance the student’s educational experience.
We see the garden playing a pivotal role in the wellbeing of our students, staff and local community. Research of urban green projects shows that places to reflect made a significant contribution to improving community relations and links and so we want to create an area which allows the people we serve, the opportunity to escape from the daily pressure and gather their thoughts in a quiet and peaceful corner of the campus. Breaks from studies, workshops, meetings and lunch hours could be spent enjoying the tranquillity of the garden, gathering thoughts and renewing energy.
Further studies have shown that gardens are much more than just ‘pretty places’. They have therapeutic qualities for people who have stresses in their lives which can lead to more complex issues. Having a place of solitude, interaction and healing can create time and space for reflection and contemplation.
Approximately one in four of us in the UK will experience a mental health problem. This might lead to young people suffering from serious issues such as disengagement from their studies and indeed – society. Enhancing the campus environment with an accessible sanctuary will help address the student’s wellbeing and enhance the student experience. Our engagement officers do fabulous work supporting our students in every possible way and the addition of a Wellness Garden would assist them immensely, providing real benefits to vulnerable individuals.
We already work in partnership with organisations such as SAMH and Scottish Disability Sport who believe it will add to the quality of support they can give to their user groups and so are highly supportive of the project.
As humans, we need to socialize to maintain psychological and emotional health through interacting with one another and the proposed café area linked to the communal gardens would provide an ideal space to interact with each other, enhancing the garden’s sense of community.
The garden would be created by horticultural students who would design the layout and incorporate a variety of flowers and herbs which will add to the wellness impact of the garden. The relaxing properties of lavender and camomile are well-known. Colours also help to brighten the mood and spirit of many and the creation of herb corner could offer additional flavours which can be used by our food studies and hospitality students in cooking. It would be a preference to have a water feature further generating a sense of calm and tranquillity.
Regular Yoga and Tai Chi classes could be timetabled to take place in the garden, providing a relaxed environment to explore the mind, body and spirit. The Academy of Sport and Wellbeing accommodates modern Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy facilities which provide opportunities to try a range of therapeutic therapies such as massage and meditation - addressing the wider health and wellbeing agenda.
In summary the Wellness Garden aims to meet the following needs:
Play a pivotal role with our academic colleagues, inspiring students to reach their full potential
Providing a space for social contact with individuals and groups within the campus and the Perth community in a fun, relaxed, healthy environment which promotes cohesion, partnership working and shared knowledge
Assisting in creating fit and healthy members of the 9,000-strong university and college student cohort and members of the local community, enhancing the ability to deal with the pressures of daily life
Providing meaningful opportunities to engage students, staff, community groups and partners through our health and wellbeing agenda
Enhance student and curriculum experience and delivery and provide enhanced practical opportunities including placements and employment
It’s very evident as our young people strive to make their way in today’s world, balancing the challenging pressures of the Coronavirus restrictions, study, finance and job prospects that enhancing the campus environment with an accessible sanctuary will help enrich their experience, as well as benefitting the health of our staff, partners and community of Perth.
Fiona Leslie, Development and Alumni Relations Manager
