HORTICULTURAL therapy to help people with mental and physical health problems will continue to make happiness bloom at nurseries near Worcester after it was given a new lease of life.

Link Nurseries in Powick has previously been under the threat of closure after £250,000 was cut from the budget of Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, the landlords of the site.

The centre has helped hundreds of people with mental and physical health problems over the year, using the therapeutic benefits of horticulture to improve people's health.

Recognition of the health and wellbeing benefits of Link Nurseries helped avert the threat of closure at the site, run by Pershore Horticultural College and supported by the Bransford Trust.

The trust recently approved the continuation of the lease to provide horticultural therapy.

Phil Woodhead, link centre manager, said: “We now have people from a variety of backgrounds attending our NVQ course and our Well Bean Garden Club. Everyone enjoys the Link experience.

"We are grateful to all our customers who support us by buying fruit, veg and plants and have a friendly chat.”

Project leaders say the added value of the Link is supported by comprehensive quality reports using validated wellbeing feedback from users,

providing 'robust evidence' that they had health and wellbeing scores 10-30 per cent above the UK norm.

Coach and volunteer co-ordinator, Brendan Young, who helps run the Stroke Recovery Well Bean Club said: “It’s great to see the Link benefitting so many users. It’s a really happy place too”

Mr Young and leadership coach son Gareth, are volunteering to bring the nationally acclaimed Action For Happiness eight session course “Exploring What Matters” to the Link from Tuesday, September 5 between 6.45pm and 8.45pm.

AfH is a non-profit organisation whose patron is the Dalai Lama.

The course is open to anyone who wishes to improve their life satisfaction, wellbeing and overall happiness, including happiness at work.

Each week there will be mindfulness practices, inspirational videos, learning new ideas for action and forming positive relationships in a group with varying backgrounds.

The cost is £90. However AfH are pleased to receive any donation based on ability to pay.

For further information, see Action For Happiness website or phone Brendan Young on 07767 381041.

Information about enrolment can be found at www.actionforhappiness.org/join. To sign up visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-action-for-happiness-course-worcester-5-sep-2017-tickets-35427188675