To bolster Tagsa Uibhist’s approaches to supporting mental health and wellbeing on Uist, NHS Western Isles provided a capital grant to purchase a dedicated garden cabin to create a safe space for art psychotherapy and wellbeing groups and sessions.

A donation of £15,000 has enabled the group to purchase an insulated wooden cabin, which is located within their community gardens, surrounded by vibrant flowers, trees and soothing greenery. A further £10,000 grant from The Clothworkers Foundation, will be used to develop the base and path.

Tagsa Uibhist, which is a community-based charity, takes a holistic approach in helping people live their life to the full, and access the care and support they need to reach their potential. It does this by finding ways to connect people with each other, to be physically active, to learn new skills and fulfilling activities, and to take an active part in community life.

The cabin will be used for community art psychotherapy which is available for all ages. Art psychotherapy can be adapted to act as prevention and early intervention when our mental health is challenged, for example in Tagsa’s popular parent infant and intergenerational groups to evidence-based psychotherapy for mental health illness and underlying issues such as trauma. The cabin will also act as a base for wellbeing sessions and activities with Tagsa’s adult support and dementia support service users. For Tagsa’s Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Team, the new cabin will allow them to maximise the therapeutic benefits of the community garden environment for service users, while having a private and secluded place to undertake therapeutic creative and life enhancing work.

Chris MacLullich, Tagsa Uibhist Chief Executive Officer, said “I would like to thank NHS Western Isles for their donation, which will enable us to offer a wider range of activities which address those presenting with underlying mental health challenges, while strengthening familial bonds and community support.”

Set in a peaceful and supportive environment, the cabin features large windows to make the most of natural light and ensures accessibility to all clients via ramps and a wide doorway. In addition, it now also enables Tagsa’s weekly Gardening Club, which comprises a number of vulnerable adults, to have a safe space to use between their activities.

NHS Western Isles Nurse/AHP Director and Chief Operating Officer, Frances Robertson, said “We are so pleased to be able to provide this funding to support Tagsa Uibhist to enhance health for their local community. Their work within the community supporting clients is commendable. We hope that the Garden cabin and outdoor safe space will help lead to more comprehensive and lasting improvements in mental health for both their clients and their community.”