From Chelsea to Devon: Microbiome Garden Comes to Apricot Centre, Enabling Vital Research
By Mark O’Connell
Welcome to the farm!
The Apricot Centre is delighted to have been chosen to receive Sid Hill and Chris Hull’s Bowel Research UK Microbiome Garden following the following RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May 2024.
We hope as an organisation to apply for funding for microbiome research and the potential benefits
for young people and asylum seekers who have suffered trauma and adversity. The charity Bowel Research UK is hoping to secure significant funds towards such research and we would very much like to help them in this, so please contribute or circulate where possible to support this impressive endeavour.
At the Apricot Centre, we work closely with young people and asylum seekers, many of whom have experienced significant hardship and trauma in their lives. We believe that nature-based work and a healthy diet can provide immense therapeutic benefits for these vulnerable groups.
The human gut microbiome - the vast ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and viruses that inhabit our digestive system - is increasingly being recognized as a key factor in both physical and mental health. Scientists are just beginning to understand how the microbiome influences everything from susceptibility to disease, to brain function and mood. This is an incredibly exciting area of research with the potential to yield
revolutionary new treatments.
For the young people and asylum seekers we support, many of whom suffer from anxiety, depression and even PTSD as a result of their experiences, this research could be life-changing. A healthy, balanced microbiome, nurtured through time spent in nature and a nutritious diet, may help to regulate mood, reduce inflammation and stress in the body, and build psychological resilience.
By engaging in gardening, farming and preparing wholesome meals together, our service users have an opportunity to restore their microbiomes in a supportive community environment. We witness the healing effects of this work every day, as individuals begin to recover their sense of wellbeing, confidence and hope for the future.
When the Bowel Research UK Microbiome Garden, which was sponsored by Project Giving Back, arrives from RHS Chelsea, it will allow us to expand this vital work and reach more people in need of support. It will also open up exciting research possibilities, enabling us to build an evidence base for the benefits of our approach. We are so grateful to Bowel Research UK for choosing to spotlight this important issue, and we urge our community to get behind their fundraising appeal for
microbiome research.
Together, we have an opportunity to transform lives and empower some of the most vulnerable people in our society to flourish. By donating to Bowel Research UK’s grant fund, you can help make this vision a reality. Your support could enable groundbreaking studies and unlock the secrets of the microbiome - bringing us one step closer to new treatments and renewed hope.
Thank you for your generosity and for being part of the Apricot Centre community. We look forward to sharing the journey of the Microbiome Garden with you, as we continue to harness the power of nature to heal and transform lives.
