Trust Links

• 14th December 2020
• Ellie Weston
• no comments

Trust Links, Southend’s local mental health and wellbeing charity, work in the community to run Growing Together Westcliff. The project provides therapeutic gardening and peer support for members of the community.

In the summer of 2020, the tranquil outdoors space at Growing Together Westcliff was rearranged to allow for a 2 metre distance catch up with friends and staff. Entry and exit points were put in place, and hygiene stations can now be found at the gates. Other safety measures were implemented allow members of Growing Together to continue to enjoy the benefits of therapeutic gardening and peer support, while maintaining the highest level of hygiene possible. This includes requesting members bring their own boots, gloves, and beverages.

With the support received from The Davies Foundation, Trust Links were able to provide this equipment to members who do not have their own, ensuring that all beneficiaries had the chance to return safely. This reopening followed the initial pandemic-response offer from the charity, which introduced live wellbeing videos through Facebook, and vital telephone and video calls to support its members.

Trust Links are grateful to the Davies Foundation for their generous donation. The money will go a long way to helping the organisation as it ensures that COVID secure measurements are put in place to enable safe face to face delivery of its life-saving projects.

Trust Links

I’ve really missed Trust Links. I’ve done lots of watching the live sessions, but it’s not the same as being here. I like the company, everyone’s really nice, and I don’t have a garden. So coming here makes a big difference.

Trust Links Member

It’s really helped my mental health, because it was so sudden, the Coronavirus. I felt really debilitated – it was a shock. But coming here I feel really supported…Thank you to everyone!

Trust Links Member