The Connection at St Martin's - helping homeless people in London
Horticulture for Homeless People
The homeless people at The Connection are some of the most disadvantaged people in society. They've few employable skills, struggle with poor physical/mental health, and many have suffered abuse. We want to increase their access to meaningful occupation, central to a fulfilling life, with gardening.
It ran from 12:00 PM, 4 December 2015 to 5:00 PM, 14 December 2015
Registered Charity in England and Wales (1078201)
Match funded Campaign target
£3,000
Amount raised
£7,125
Donations
38
Location
Campaign overview
Aims
Where's the money going?
Impact & reporting
Homeless people are often seen as a blight on the local area and we want to challenge that by showing what a valuable contribution they can make.
— Steve, Groups & Activities Coordinator
When the wife died I was left to bring up my son. Then when my son left home I was on my own. I didn't feel right, I started getting depressed.
— John
Homeless people are often seen as a blight on the local area and we want to challenge that by showing what a valuable contribution they can make.
— Steve, Groups & Activities Coordinator
When the wife died I was left to bring up my son. Then when my son left home I was on my own. I didn't feel right, I started getting depressed.
— John
Situation
The homeless people at The Connection are some of the most disadvantaged people in our society. They've few employable skills, many have low literacy and numeracy skills, a significant proportion struggle with poor physical and mental health, and many have suffered abuse. Consequentially, disadvantaged homeless people are often socially excluded and living in poverty, leaving them with little access to meaningful occupation, which is central to living a healthy, happy and fulfilling life.
Solution
The Connection will give homeless people opportunity to attend Gardening Workshops in partnership with local businesses and the new Garden Bridge, giving access to meaningful occupation. At these workshops, homeless people will look after plants in an urban environment, acquiring a range of new skills which will benefit their confidence and increase employability. This positively impacts upon both physical and mental health, fosters an inclusive social environment, and improves the local area.