A POPULAR horticultural therapy centre at Powick has been saved from closure.

Link Nurseries, where people with mental health problems grow plants and sell them as part of their recovery, has been slated to close this summer, as local health commissioners sought to save £250,000.

But this week, Warwickshire College Group, which includes the agricultural college at Powick, has reached an agreement to take on the nurseries, supported by the Bransford Trust and the Friends of Link Nurseries.

The site will now be leased, for a 12-month period initially, to the Bransford Trust, a Worcestershire-based charity that provides support for local charities and initiatives.

Andrew Cropley of Warwickshire College Group said, “We are absolutely delighted to be able to support Link Nurseries and secure this vital service. Pershore College already has strong ties to the site, with our expert horticulture staff regularly visiting and teaching there, so we are in the perfect position to assist. Working with our partners, this collaboration provides a fantastic opportunity to develop a standalone enterprise delivering strong healthcare and educational benefits for local people.”

Mrs Baldwin said: “We were all disappointed to see the health and care trust take steps to end services at Link Nurseries.

“Some services were already offered through Pershore College on site and I met the principal from the college to ask them to use the site more. She has agreed to do that and I look forward to a formal meeting with all parties to thank them for their efforts in due course.”

Colin Kinnear of the Bransford Trust said: “Thanks to the tremendous effort put in by all parties involved, a unique opportunity to save the last area of the old Powick mental hospital site for local community care, has been achieved.”

Sue Harris of Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust said: "As owners of the site we have always been committed to supporting the development of community-led proposals that would enable Link Nurseries to continue to deliver healthcare benefits for local people.

"It is clear that there is a real will from the local community to do this and what has emerged is a great example of a community, and organisations, coming together to provide what we hope will continue to be a thriving local resource."