Horticultural Training The Urban Garden works with people who are long term unemployed and/or are struggling with their mental health. Engagement is through referral e.g. Bath Mind or self referral. We have a unique offering whereby trainees are able to progress from level 1 to level 2 and then onto a work placement in the garden centre if they are looking to move into work. Over the course of the year 25/26 we delivered two level 1 City & Guilds courses and two level 2 City & Guilds courses to a total of 25 students. In addition to this 10 trainees took part in the supported work placement on Friday afternoons. In 2025 we started a collaboration with Bath City Farm when they took over from Organic Blooms as the umbrella organisation for City & Guilds. Level 2 participants were able to study at both the UG and BCF and gain further credits towards a certificate in practical horticulture. A total of 3 students completed the combined course. Of the trainees on the level 1 C&G courses 6 progressed onto level 2. Of the level 2 C&G trainees 5 went onto take part in the Urban Gardener’s supported work placement, two went on to become volunteers and two joined the Friday afternoon supported work placement. One student is planning to enrol on the RHS level 2 course. 2025 saw us take on an allotment plot at the Lower Common East allotments. This space has been a valuable training space, alongside the Botanical Gardens and Bath City Farm. The Urban Gardeners: This project gives unemployed people the opportunity to train in gardening work by working in people’s gardens in Bath. Placements are typically 6-9 months. During this period we had 7 adults on placement. During this financial year we have had two people progress into paid employment. General volunteering This is for a wide cross section of the local community and we have a high proportion of isolated older people. We currently have 40 people registered with us on this programme. On a Wednesday afternoon we have an average of 8-12 people attending and 3 attending each 7 hour day Thursday to Sunday. They will often work on maintaining our perennial plants in the nursery, ensuring they are looking good for sale. For example, in the autumn they potted on all our perennial plants. TOTAL 3700 hours of general volunteering during this financial period Evaluation of benefits We periodically ask trainees and volunteers to fill in a point scoring questionnaire that maps changes in their personal health and wellbeing, and improvements (or not) in practical skills. The score ranges from +2 (much better) to -2 (much worse). At the end of 2025 we carried out a feedback review: Headline figures were: - 2/3 of participants felt that their overall mental health and wellbeing had improved over the last few months, with 1/3 reporting it to be “much better” - 80% felt that their ability to work as part of a team had improved over the last few months - 80% reported an increase in their self-esteem, with 27% reporting it to be “much better” - 73% reported an increase in self-confidence over the last few months and 20% saying it was “much better” - 2/3 felt they improved their customer service skills in the last few months, and 60% improved their gardening and growing skills - 60% felt that both their retail skills and their gardening and growing skills had improved in the last few months During this financial year, 5 of our trainees have progressed into paid employment. Through follow up feedback forms we know that these people are still in employment.

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