BOST & SLaM
GREEN WELLBEING
PARTNERSHIP
GROW. CONNECT. THRIVE.
Delivering evidence-based therapeutic horticulture in Southwark.
ABOUT US
Service: Rooted Minds by BOST*
Date: Every Friday
Time: 1.30pm – 3.30pm
Location: Green Wellbeing Hub, Borough, SE1
*Participants are accepted by referral only
Welcome to the secure referral gateway for the Rooted Minds programme at the Green Wellbeing Hub, a dedicated therapeutic horticulture service delivered by Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST) in partnership with the South London and Maudsley (SLaM) NHS Foundation Trust.
We provide a safe, supported, non-clinical environment at The Ecohouse designed to anchor mental health recovery, reduce isolation, and foster community connection:
DEDICATED NHS PARTNERSHIP
Together with the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, we provide structured, year-round therapeutic gardening sessions specifically for Southwark Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT).
Operating weekly in Borough SE1, we maintain a highly supportive 1:5 staff-to-participant ratio.
Person-Centred Practice
Our service is rooted deeply in trauma-informed methodologies, prioritising emotional safety, consistency, and absolute choice.
Every activity is entirely optional.
All core facilitators hold Enhanced DBS checks and advanced sessional training, including The Gift of Reconnection and Psychosynthesis systems. We are a culturally-sensitive service.
A Predictable
Rhythm
To actively alleviate anxiety and minimise triggers, each 2-hour session follows a structured, consistent rhythm.
Each session begins with a soft-start welcome with hot tea, hands-on sensory tasks with soil (like seasonal growing), a shared group social break, and an inclusive closing reflection, bolstering learnings from the day and feedback on what they want to do in future sessions.
The Ecohouse Sanctuary
Rain or shine, The Ecohouse in SE1 guarantees continuous weekly delivery.
The site features accessible raised beds, a quiet neuro-affirming Rainbow Library, and a dedicated indoor rest sanctuary equipped with comfortable seating and a calming no-pump, no-filter nature palludarium tank with wildlife and varied fauna, and an indoor respite space for participant.
Peer-Led
Recovery
We proudly incorporate individuals with lived experience into our daily delivery model.
Participants garden alongside established peer mentors from our diverse local communities. When individuals are ready, we offer step-up pathways into mainstream volunteering and our accredited Future Gardeners certification tracks.
REFERRALS
We accept clients by referral from Community Mental Health Teams in Southwark. Please click on the button below to access the referral portal:
OUR IMPACT
93% retention rate
9.4/10 EVALUATION SCORE
10+ cultures SERVED
RESOURCES
Click or tap on the buttons below to download the resource:
FAQs
Please see Frequently Asked Questions below for more information about the programme and referral process. If you have any issues or questions about referrals, please contact us on 020 7403 3393 or email us at info@bost.org.uk.
This service is specifically funded under the SLaM framework for individuals currently accessing Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT) in Southwark. It is optimised for individuals managing low-to-medium support needs (such as anxiety, depression, or stabilized complex conditions) who can safely participate in an open group setting.
Because we are a non-clinical community service, we do not have medical staff, clinicians, or psychiatric crisis nurses on site. We strictly cannot accept individuals currently experiencing an acute mental health crisis, or those with high-risk presentation requiring active clinical oversight.
Our team reviews all secure digital form submissions within 3–5 working days. We expect participants to start within two weeks of the date of referral, subject to spaces available and waiting list times. Once a referral passes initial review. We then contact the client directly to invite them in for an informal, 1-to-1 tea and chat at The Rainbow Library. This session allows us to meet them, understand their access needs, and establish a comfortable support plan before their first group session.
The sessions run every Friday, except over the Christmas and New Year period. The session starts at 1.30pm and runs to 3.30pm.
Suitable clothing for the weather that you don’t mind getting dirty. Please layer up and wearing closed toe footwear.
No experience required! We have facilitators that are also professional gardeners on hand to provide hands-on learning experiences.
The service is completely free of charge to eligible attendees and referring teams. All adaptive tools, gloves, seeds, building materials, and safety equipment are fully provided by Bankside Open Spaces Trust. We recommend attendees wear comfortable clothing and sturdy footwear suitable for being outdoors.
Sessions run consistently rain or shine. If conditions are too poor for outdoor gardening in our raised beds, we move inside The Ecohouse. This is a purpose-built, climate-resilient space where we host indoor nature crafts, seed-saving workshops, or utilize our quiet Rainbow Library and nature palludarium.
Our facilitation team has extensive experience managing communication barriers, including supporting neurodivergent individuals and refugee/migrant communities. We actively adapt our practice by minimizing dense written elements, using Google Translate, providing multilingual guides where appropriate, and employing clear visual hand-gestures for real-time session feedback.
ISSUE OR QUESTIONS? GET IN TOUCH
If you have any issues or questions about referrals, please contact us on 020 7403 3393 or email us at info@bost.org.uk.