Imagine a garden where we sow seeds of hope, resilience, and community. This is Seeds of Recovery, a grassroots initiative to support mental health recovery at the acute mental health inpatient service of the Calvary Mater hospital.

The clinical environment of a mental health service unit can feel isolating and disconnected from the outside world. We know that mental health recovery isn't just about receiving medical treatment, it's about cultivating skills and social connections that continue to grow after hospital discharge. We also know of the positive impact that nature-based activities have on mental health recovery. However, due to multitude of factors, opportunities for meaningful outdoor engagement in this context are currently limited. But what if we have found a way to support those receiving treatment to reconnect with nature, supportive relationships, and themselves?

Seeds of Recovery does exactly that. This gardening program is led by fourth-year occupational therapy students from the University of Newcastle, in collaboration with mental health professionals and those with lived experience, to offer a hands-on, co-designed, and nature-based approach to recovery. This is an inclusive space where consumers, families, carers, and staff can come together away from the clinical setting to nurture both plants and hope in a bright future.

Picture our team transforming a bare courtyard and a patch of earth into a vibrant collective garden. As our garden flourishes, so too will the relationships and skills of everyone involved, creating positive change throughout our community.

We have the site, the knowledge, and a team of enthusiastic volunteers ready to get started. What we need now is a small amount of funding to purchase the materials necessary to bring our vision to life. With your support, Seeds of Recovery will soon be a thriving community where mental health recovery can take root. Thank you for your consideration.