Peter: returning to Minstead Trust as a garden volunteer and sharing skills

Peter first came to Minstead Lodge and New Forest Day Opportunities in 1996 at the age of 16 years old.

It was a school social worker who recommend Minstead Trust as a possible next step in his education as it offered hands-on, practical teaching and an outdoor-based learning environment Peter would eventually excel in. Having lived at home and been totally reliant on his parents, Peter briefly lived in Minstead Lodge before quickly moving into shared, supported living accommodation with two other blokes in nearby Totton. He describes this moment as the start of his new, independent life.

With the support of Minstead Trust staff he learnt to cook, shop for himself, carry out household tasks and even manage money and learn how to budget. He had never used cash or paid for anything himself before he left home and he vividly remembers forgetting to take bank notes out of his pockets before washing them and then having to flatten them out to try and dry them! He laughs about this now but at the time he says everything was a monumental learning curve.

Perhaps most importantly however, it was during this time that Peter started to make friends. After a challenging time at school where he often felt isolated, he finally found support and friendship with the people he lived with, staff and the fellow attendees of New Forest Day Opportunities. He firmly attributes the wonderfully warm welcome he received at Minstead Trust as the key factor in helping him to overcome his shyness and anxiety, and instead start on a path which would see him grow in confidence; not only in himself, but also in his ability to live independently – and do so happily.

Peter attended New Forest Day Opportunities for four years, working in the walled garden and helping with general groundwork. He recalls that his passion for gardening started at a young age when he would work alongside his father in their own garden at home. Always fascinated with gardening Peter loves to sees how plants grow and change throughout the seasons. He enjoys being outside, observing nature and the peacefulness and all the colour a garden can bring. He is however, the first to admit that his greatest passion is a good garden machine; strimmers, mowers and of course, a ride on tractor!

Peter’s skills and acquired experience over those few years within Day Opportunities, also saw him complete a Level 1 NVQ in horticulture at Minstead followed by a Level 2 NVQ at Sparsholt College with the help and supervision of Furzey Head Gardener Pete White. This achievement subsequently enabled him to successfully apply for a garden-based work experience opportunity at Braishfield Manor where he would end up staying for five years.

Another pivotal moment in his life, Peter claims, was the travel training he received from Minstead Trust.  Gaining the confidence to hop on a bus or a train was a complete game changer in enabling him to venture further afield, explore new places and visit his parents independently. Crucially, however, it also enabled him to apply for a full time paid job at a private school in Lymington which was an hour’s train ride away. The school boasts a fabulous 100 acres of lawns, woodland, fishing lakes and stables – and many opportunities to drive the ride on mower! Peter worked there as part of the garden and maintenance team for almost 20 years during which time he also got married and moved in to a new home.

Sadly a back injury following a fall at work and a subsequent operation resulted in almost four years out of work at a time that also coincided with the Covid pandemic. Although his physical health continues to improve, his mental health took a significant downturn as he struggled with being out of work, out of the garden and battling increasing feelings of frustration and anxiety. In the summer of 2022, in a bid to rebuild his own self-confidence, Peter reached out to Minstead Trust offering to return as a volunteer.

Almost a year on and Peter now volunteers two days a week in the gardens at Minstead Lodge and often alongside the people we support. He knows only too well what the calm and beautiful lodge gardens can offer in helping to support one’s own mental well-being, but his real enjoyment now comes from sharing his learned skills and experience with those people who are currently being supported by the Trust. Some of the people he knew from before are still here and have delighted in welcoming him back, yet he is equally happy working alongside some of our newer referrals, chatting and engaging with them and encouraging them in their work.

Senior Day Opportunities Instructor John Davies, who taught Peter when he first came to the Trust back in 1996, says, ‘It is lovely to have Pete back at the Trust as a volunteer in the walled vegetable garden. He helps to maintain the area and carries out tasks to a brilliantly high standard which we, as staff, often just don’t have the time to do and which importantly, allows us to focus on the sessions for the people we support. It’s fantastic to see how Pete has retained and developed all his horticulture knowledge that he learnt when he first joined us as a student all those years ago, and it is brilliant to see how much he enjoys being here.’

For the Trust, Peter’s story is another lovely example of how a little time, support and encouragement has enabled someone to lead a fulfilling, independent life in which they have learned and worked and thrived. On this particular occasion, however, it is especially wonderful that Peter has now chosen to return as a volunteer, keen to share his experience and passion for gardening with others in the hope that it might enable them to do the same.