A new innovative ‘gardening from home’ pilot is being launched by Sandwell Primary Care Trust and its partners across the borough.

The scheme is for people who are at risk of falls and lack the confidence to garden independently. It is the result of work by Sandwell Primary Care Trust, Sandwell Council and Ideal for All. Referrals for the scheme are being taken now with the first people starting gardening from March 2010.

Veronica Barry, project lead from local charity Ideal for All, thinks the joint approach to this new scheme will work wonders for Sandwell people. She said: “Gardening from Home can really make a difference to older people who have lost their confidence because of falls or fear of falling.

“Gardening is a fantastic way to build confidence and improve mobility, independence, confidence and even fitness.

“It’s a pilot initially where twenty people over the next twelve months will hopefully reap the benefits of this pioneering programme.”

The pilot builds on the popular Walk from Home programme from Sandwell Primary Care Trust that is often used as part of older people’s rehabilitation programmes.

Andrew Wood, Walk from Home lead said: “Walk from Home has helped many older people walk further and for longer, and has made huge improvements in their quality of life.  Gardening from Home will expand on this and offer people the opportunity to develop a whole new set of skills through home intervention. Both programmes offer tailored, one to one help to older people in the perfect place for them to be able to accept such help – their own home.”

Referrals are via the Primary Care Rehabilitation Teams SAP1 forms can be faxed in confidence to Richard Billingsley on 0121 565 7973