A winning prescription
As part of the National Garden Scheme’s ongoing Gardens and Health campaign we were proud to sponsor one of the inaugural Social Prescribing Annual Awards, presented at Westminster University on July 11. The Awards, which formed part of a two day international conference on Social Prescribing, celebrated the fabulous achievements of those pioneering this revolution in health care.
Now one of the six pillars of the NHS’s long-term plan, social prescribing is a growing movement which aims to restore an individual’s health by connecting patients to services within their communities that are tailored to their interests and their needs.
“Social prescribing plays a huge role in tackling loneliness and depression, which in turn can lead to poor physical health. By valuing an individual and bringing them back into the community, be it through dog walking, gardening or simply having access to a garden, the pressure on NHS services has been shown to drastically reduce,” says National Garden Scheme CEO, George Plumptre. “With our wonderful network of gardens and garden owners, we are keen to explore and support this proven and powerful connection between gardens and health and to be part of the pioneering social prescribing movement.”
The winners of the Social Prescribing Awards National Gardens Scheme Award for Best Larger Project were Family Action for their well-established service across 43 GP practices in Hackney that help transform lives by providing practical, emotional and financial support to those who are experiencing poverty, disadvantage and social isolation.
“Choosing a winner from the short list was extraordinarily difficult, but Family Action stood out for demonstrating extensive social prescribing services that deliver positive results,” adds George Plumptre.
With an exhibition stand at the conference, the National Garden Scheme was able to promote its own Gardens and Health campaign and to explore exciting opportunities with a range of social prescribing services.
To find out more about Social Prescribing visit the Social Prescribing Network website at: https://www.socialprescribingnetwork.com/
If you are a garden owner who would like to be involved with our Gardens and Health campaign please ensure you tick the Gardens and Health tick box at registration or contact the team at Hatchlands.
The winners were:
Social Farms & Gardens Award for Best Local Project: OASIS Community Centre & Gardens – helping people come alive through the power of nature
National Gardens Scheme Award for Best Larger Project: Family Action for their well-established service across 43 GP practices in Hackney
SW Academic Health Science Network Innovator of the Year Award: Veronica Kuperman – for Myscript – an innovative project from an inspirational leader
Defra Award for Best Nature Based Project in the Year of Green Action: Tickwood Care Farm, enriching lives of children with special needs
International Award sponsored by Pukka: Alliance Ontario – an ambitious project rolling out social prescribing to diverse communities in Canada
Photo above: Dr. Michael Dixon, Co-chair Social Prescribing Network – Family Action representative – George Plumptre – Dr. Marie Polley, Co-chair Social Prescribing Network, University of Westminster
