A big DEEP thank you to our expert panel and our audience for a special edition of our facilitators Zoom – A DEEP Gardeners’ Question Time.
The expert panel consisted of:
George Rook – chair
Frances (Frannie) Isaacs – question mistress
Teresa ‘Dory’ Davies – Living with dementia and grower on ‘Lost the plot’.
Penny Unitt – facilitator for ‘Budding Friends’- Age UK Exeter
Kath Pyke – Project leader Dementia Adventure and keen grower.
Mark Rendell – Step Change Design
Charlotte Overton-Hart – Story Chaplain, DIG (Dementia Inclusive Gardening) and grower of the Ingredients Cards
The questions posed to the panel were
Q: An allotment feels like a lot of hard work. What can we do to support a group of people living with dementia to take part in growing projects when we can’t meet up together to look after what we grow – question from a twitterer.
Q: I have an allotment that is quite sunny……What flowers can I grow? – Mhari from Coventry
Q: What is the best thing to use to get rid of slugs? – Michelle from Glasgow
Q: Can I grow runner beans and other veg in pots? – Dreane from Worcestershire
Q: How do I go about planting a wildflower meadow? – Mhari
Q: How do you stop cats going to the toilet in your garden? – Michelle from Glasgow
Q: What one piece of advice would you give to a nervous person who wants to support people living with dementia to do some gardening– but is a bit risk averse.
The answers (and so much more) can all be heard in the video recording of the session.
Here are some backstage chat info highlights:
Charlotte from DIG at PLOT 22: Hot water bottles are also helpful to keep snug when it is cold.
Rachel from the DEEP Network: sprouting seeds and you can sprout chick peas too
Frannie: peas work like the lentils.
Chris-Ashford Phoenix Group: (in reference to slug control) Do eggshells work because it hurts their tiny feet?!
Chris M: Do you have any tips for blight on tomatoes please?
Charlotte from DIG at PLOT 22: Look at a template risk assessment – https://www.bristolhealthpartners.org.uk/uploads/documents/2016-04-07/1460035847-improving-inclusion-for-people-with-dementia-in-community-gardens.pdf
Chris M:I have been to Plot 22 with Charlotte. They are wonderful and so welcoming, and Charlotte is amazing
Charlotte from DIG at PLOT 22: Too kind Chris! It was lovely to welcome you to the plot
Kath from Dementia Adventure: Great project Dory! (with reference to Dory setting up her own allotment project ‘Lost the Plot’
Vicki Handley: Really interesting session, I’ve learned loads, thank you for a lovely welcome 🙂
To find more information about the expert panelists:
Mark – www.stepchange-design.co.uk
Charlotte – www.storychaplian.com
Kath – www.dementiaadventure.co.uk
Penny – Budding Friends – www.ageuk.org.uk Search Exeter
To find out more about sprouting seeds: www.growveg.co.uk
We also had a draw for 6 packets of Story Chaplain ingredients cards.
The winners are:
Nancy McAdam, Teresa ‘Dory’ Davies, Chris Norris, George Rook, Maq and Steve and Cynth Litchfield. (A 7th pack will also be winging its way to Frannie too)
We also had a draw for three copies of the Budding Friends book ‘the allotment of time’.
The winners are:
Rita Lee, Paul Smithies and Victoria Handley.
You can now watch either the single screen speaker version of the session here:
or the multi-screen version here:
If you are interested in setting up a virtual gardening DEEP group please get in touch with Niblock@myid.org.uk
The next facilitators session is Wednesday 31st March 12.30 – 1.30.
Please email if you would like to join in.
