Lindengate, a mental health charity based in Wendover, has helped more than 2,500 individuals in 2024 through its innovative social therapeutic horticulture programs. Specializing in wellbeing initiatives, the charity offers a range of services including volunteering opportunities, open garden sessions, and structured wellbeing courses designed to foster mental and emotional health.
The charity credits its success to the vital support of staff, volunteers, donations, grants, and gifts, without which these services would not be possible.
Annette, who participated in Lindengate’s nine-week Wellbeing and Nature Course, shared how the experience transformed her life. “It has renewed my self-belief and confidence, lifting my depression, and opening up my love for nature,” Annette said. “It gave me the confidence to enrol as a volunteer—giving me a sense of belonging and teaching me new skills.”
James, another volunteer, spoke about how Lindengate’s garden sessions helped him through a difficult personal time. “When I started volunteering with you, my relationship had broken down and I’d left my family home. Being able to come over to the gardens each week was a lifesaver. It gave me something to do during a period when I was emotionally very low and struggling.”
Lindengate’s positive impact extends beyond adults, with parents also praising the charity’s role in supporting younger people facing mental health challenges. One parent of a Green Volunteen shared that the calming environment at Lindengate was instrumental in helping their child navigate a period of emotional turmoil. “The ongoing bereavement of her dad and grandma, bullying, self-harming, eating disorder, and neurodiversity issues were all so overwhelming,” the parent said. “Coming to Lindengate has helped give her back her self-belief, confidence, and to trust again.”
Lindengate’s therapeutic horticulture approach provides a safe space for individuals to rebuild their mental health and find a sense of community, reaffirming the charity’s essential role in supporting mental well-being in the local area.
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