Singing Bird Perch at the Lamb Garden, Totnes, October 19th

ART FOR THE BIRDS?

The Gardening for Health team is installing a permanent Singing Bird Perch at the Lamb Garden. What, you might ask, is a Singing Bird Perch?  All will be revealed when the new metal and mosaic public art work by Richard Bent and Jan O’Highway is unveiled by former mayor Pruw Boswell-Harper at 11am on Saturday 19^th October.  “Sadly we had to have the large rowan trees in the Lamb Garden removed this year because of a fungus”, a Gardening for Health spokesperson explained, “and this beautiful creation will help fill the gap – and give the local birds something to sing about. Richard and Jan also produced the lovely mosaics with local school children for Heath’s Garden, and they will be at the ceremony on the 19^th to talk about their work.”

“We will also be showing visitors the other improvements we have made this year to the Lamb Garden, where Gardening for Health has been running free sessions since 2011 for patients referred by local health providers, as well as those who self-refer, so they can benefit from the well-researched effects of gardening on physical and mental health and well-being. We also have weekly sessions for local school-children and for volunteers” added the spokesperson.  “BBC2’s Gardeners’ World programme on 27 September explored the health aspects of gardening which are now supported by the NHS’ Social Prescribing scheme. In Totnes this scheme is facilitated by one of our partners, Caring Town Totnes. Visitors to the event on 19^th can also learn about our plans for the future of this much-used small open space at the top of town.”

Catherine Munro can provide further information on the gardening sessions on info.gardeningforhealth@gmail.com

Sue Holmes 1.10.19

Jan O’Highway, Pruw Boswell-Harper, Sue Holmes, Richard Bent