At Bordesley Green Allotments, people are coming together to share space, knowledge and stories, as part of the Green Roots: Allotments for Health project in partnership with The Omnia Practice. We spoke to Yara*, who attends the sessions each week, and has been enjoying the opportunity to get in touch with nature.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity…”

Yara started coming to the Green Roots sessions after she received a text message from her GP practice, inviting patients to a gardening and growing session. Intrigued, she decided to follow up, only to realise it was right on her doorstep. “Believe it or not, I put my name down last year because I wanted to have an allotment patch. I opened the book [for the waiting list] and I must have turned about 50 pages. I put my name and number down [but] I didn’t have high hopes.”

When she arrived at her first session, Yara was a little nervous but excited. “I was just something new and it’s nice to meet people and speak to everybody.” In those early sessions, the plot was just ‘a big patch of soil’ and needed a lot of work, but the blank canvas meant that everyone had an opportunity to share their ideas for the space. “You’re trying to come up with ideas… the vision of how we wanted it to look and, you know, what we wanted to put where. It’s coming along nicely.”

“Every week we’re learning something new.”

As well as an opportunity to connect with nature, Yara enjoys the sense of community and shared knowledge that people bring to the space. For some people, they’re complete beginners, and for others, they’ve been able to share their tips for growing different fruit and veg. “It’s nice to be able to get guidance as well and learn from each other. I met a lady the other day and she said she’s been gardening for six years or something, but even she’s learning something new every day and the same for me as well.”

The space has allowed Yara and other participants to experiment with new plants and techniques in a safe and supportive environment. “Make mistakes, try this out… see what happens!”

“It’s really important to be connected with nature…”

Yara now comes once a week, sharing that her visits to the allotment allow her to reclaim some time for herself, reset, and connect with nature. “Being in nature… it’s so peaceful. That’s the main thing. It’s so peaceful and you can disconnect for an hour, two hours… however long you’re here.”

The opportunity to disconnect and have some ‘me time’ means Yara feels more refreshed and present for her family. “I say to them, ‘if I’m well, then I can look after you guys’. There is a lot going on in everybody’s lives, I understand that, but it’s important to take time out for yourself. I feel like, as a mother, I put myself at the bottom of the list, [but] you have to look after yourself.”

As well as supporting her overall wellbeing, Yara acknowledges the physical health benefits of coming to the allotment. “It gets you moving. If you’re digging something up, pulling weeds out, anything you’re doing, you know, you’ve got that movement going – I feel it. I think to myself, okay, at least I’m doing something where I’m active.”

“Take time out for yourself.”

Reflecting on her experience, Yara hopes that people recognize the importance of making time for their wellbeing.

“I think that’s the most important thing, and then you can get on with the rest of the day, [the rest of] the week, feeling refreshed. Maybe it’s human nature, we try and do everything and we put ourselves last, but we do need to put ourselves [first], even if it’s 15 minutes, just something small. But definitely… just [making] that time for your own well-being.”

Green Roots: Allotments for Health is delivered in partnership with The Omnia Practice. For more information about the project, and details on how to join, go to: https://omniapractice.com/news/green-roots-allotments-for-health/

*Names have been changed