Students sense good wellbeing to develop community spirit

One student is cultivating good mental health as part of a team developing a community sensory garden.

Third-year Health and Social Care students are working with Greatwell Homes to create an oasis of calm and fragrance in the Hemmingwell area of Wellingborough.

One of the 25 students involved is Chelsea Thacker, for whom the project was close to home: “I’ve always known that I wanted to help people and to enhance lives by making a difference to vulnerable members of the community.

“I have worked in care homes and am also a single mother to two, one who has epilepsy. These roles have taught me that people need someone to advocate for them. Very few people know their rights or how to access services without support, and I want to be part of that.”

Chelsea has taken her drive to support people to inform a live, real-world project with Greatwell Homes that want to install a sensory garden in Hemmingwell where they are engaged in renewal and maintenance projects that are led by their tenants.

The students’ ideas about the sensory garden are so good that Greatwell has asked them to further consult with residents to deliver this new oasis in the town. The plan is being finalised, with the garden set to open later this year.

Chelsea explains what they’ve done: “We’ve explored the green spaces to help us develop a feel for the space and what could work well. We took pictures to document this and then separated into groups to focus on how a green space could positively impact mental health, the wider environment, and crime.

“My group focussed on mental health and a sensory garden – for instance, with aromatic herbs and vibrant flowers – was one idea we explored as I felt the location was perfect for this. We were happy to hear Greatwell Homes agreed with our suggestions.”

Chelsea is set to graduate next year and sums up what has been an amazing studying experience: “It was incredible to have this opportunity and to be involved in a project that will benefit the community and to work with both the housing and the community aspects.

“This experience has completely changed my perspective. I learned so much about the broad area that the housing sector covers and I aspire to be a housing officer. I want to develop the skills and knowledge to advise so people and communities get the best from each other.”

John Ross, Head of Housing and Neighbourhoods at Greatwell Homes, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the University of Northampton on a project which I’m sure will be very much welcomed from the local community. Along with the students at the University, we have started consultations with those who live close and will start a wider span of consultation soon.

“This will form part of works we’re doing to improve the Hemmingwell Estate and we’re delighted to have received some really great suggestions from the Health and Social Care students that will make a big difference to the estate.”

Find out more about Health and Social Care degrees at University of Northampton.