‘Creative Haven’ is a group that is run for young people eligible for ELFT’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in North Bedfordshire. It is a partnership project with ‘Golden Gardens’, a community garden that has won multiple local awards for the positive impact it has had on the population in Goldington, Bedford.
Together with Golden Gardens, the group has aimed to combat loneliness and confidence issues for those who may be out of education.
The project is led by support workers from the Trust, and weekly activities include gardening, upcycling furniture and growing produce. It is a space for young people to get as involved as they would like, while learning new skills and socialising with others.
For the second year in a row, Creative Haven was recognised at the Colmworth Craft and Produce Show for the high quality of the fruit and vegetables grown. This year, the team were awarded two first-place and three second-place rosettes across various categories.
Debbie Jones, who is a Clinical Support Worker in CAMHS’ Emotional Behavioural Team and a leader in the Creative Haven group, said: “I am really pleased to see our young people thriving as part of this community project. It is a having a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of those who require support, helping service users grow in confidence and maturity.”
If you would like to learn more about Creative Haven or the work of North Bedfordshire CAMHS, you can email elft.spoebedfordshire@nhs.net.