Walled Garden offers hope after Mental Health Awareness Week

A Perth project has used Mental Health Awareness Week to spread the word about the support it can offer to people with mental health issues.

The Walled Garden Café is part of the PKAV mental health and wellbeing hub in the grounds of Murray Royal Hospital, which aims to offer a tranquil haven for people recovering from mental illness, as well as members of the public.

The café is staffed by the project’s clients, as a way of giving them new skills, experience and confidence, and sells homemade soups, sandwiches, baked potatoes, salads and cakes.

An art studio and shop on site sells items crafted by clients. Seasonal fruit and vegetables are also on sale, as well as garden plants and flowers.

The garden has hosted everything from weddings to radio programmes – plus a plant sale on Saturday, which raised more than £2,300.

Café manager Laura Pack said: “Watching the relationships formed is lovely to see and that peer support element, while doing an activity, is therapeutic.

“They create a bond together that they probably don’t have with the staff.

“They are building practical skills, which gives them the space to be mindful and be with other people.

“It’s now about looking past the awareness week and helping people every day.”

One service user, who was referred to the garden by a psychologist, said: “I have moved on greatly because of this and it has given me confidence I never used to have.

“I’m happier than I have ever been in my life.”

Call 01738 631777 for more information.