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Our new national project, which draws on arts and crafts to connect older people with nature, was recently launched at The Alnwick Garden!
At the launch event, people from local craft groups and older people’s housing schemes throughout the district chatted over crochet hooks and swapped yarns to begin making handcrafted textile Pop Up Gardens inside recycled suitcases and briefcases.
April Dobson, our Head of Dementia Innovation, explained the aims of the project: “We know it can be a little more difficult for older people to get outdoors, especially during the winter months, so the Pop Up craft garden project is a way of bringing the outdoors inside for older people when the weather is bad, and to enjoy the interaction with other people that taking part in hands-on craft activities brings.
Creator of The Alnwick Garden and patron of Abbeyfield, The Duchess of Northumberland, said: “Inspiring and connecting people through gardening is at the very heart of The Alnwick Garden Trust.
“We are delighted that Abbeyfield’s Breath of Fresh Air pop up garden initiative has its roots in The Alnwick Garden. I hope that older people across the nation will join in and enjoy the project, and have their lives enriched through the friendships, new skills and multitude of health, social and wellbeing benefits that a garden environment brings.”
Pop up gardens created as part of the project during the winter months will bloom to form a Springtime Breath of Fresh Air Pop Up Garden exhibition at The Alnwick Garden next May.
Future Breath of Fresh Air Pop Up Garden sessions will take place on the first Wednesday of each month from 10 -1pm in the Elderberries Room at The Alnwick Garden.
