M6 Tebay Services' therapy garden given green light

Plans for a therapeutic garden beside a service station on the M6 have been approved.

Kendal-based charity Growing Well has received planning permission to create the garden to supply Tebay Services with organic produce.

The charity said gardening benefitted vulnerable people struggling with their mental health by teaching them skills.

It said the garden would open in January and help 100 volunteers a year in Eden and north Cumbria.

The Westmorland Family, which runs three service stations including Tebay, has donated £150,000 to the scheme and the National Lottery Community Fund is giving £180,000 over two years.

Planning permission was granted by Eden Council.

Growing Well already runs a similar project at Low Sizergh Barn near Kendal.

Volunteers can be referred by GPs or themselves and will be offered a chance to rebuild confidence and learn new skills in a bid to return to employment or education, the charity said.

A spokeswoman for the organisation said: "Work will be starting very soon on the now disused static caravan park, transforming it into a kitchen garden, under the supervision of experienced therapeutic growers and mental health support staff.

"Staff and volunteers will grow salads and leafy vegetables for the services' farm shop and kitchen.

"They will then be cooked and served to customers just a few hundred metres from where they are grown."

Westmorland Family is providing the garden site rent-free.

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