GARDENING isn't just about tending your greens. The therapeutic benefits of being out in the fresh air, and the feel-good factor from nurturing plant-life, are widely recognised and are being put to good use here in Bradford to help people tackle issues affecting their lives.

Catherine Russell runs Bradford Works, a social enterprise set up five years ago and based at Shipley College supporting people into employment through social and therapeutic horticulture.

"Our aim is to support people into employment. We work with people who have been made redundant or have episodes in life making it difficult for them to work, or getting up-to-date work experience and developing skills to get back into work."

Catherine explains they undertake grounds maintenance for clients.

"It is about working with people in a horticultural setting, building people's confidence and self-esteem and developing skills for all sorts of different people and using horticulture as a way of doing that," explains Catherine.

She says research has indicated working with plants and within a garden setting can bring positive benefits to those affected by physical and mental health.

Catherine explains it can help those who need to build up their physical strength following an operation or sufferers of heart problems.

"It is good to get people to build up their physical strength and it is good for mental wellbeing as well. It is something where people can feel proud of what they have done and working in a really positive environment and they see some benefit of the work they are doing."

Bradford Works links in with other projects such as the Cellar Trust in Shipley, who also work with people with mental health issues, the Northcliffe Project, working with people with learning difficulties, Incommunities, one of the largest social housing providers in the UK and Aspire-i, a social enterprise which aims to increase the number of people in employment, improve skill levels and make a difference to people's lives.

Catherine explains there is a link with gardening and nurturing. "There is a link between the fact that you have been able to nurture and look after something, see it develop and grow and there is a huge sense of pride.

"We do work in public areas, looking after different things where members of the public are walking passed all the time and really appreciate what you are doing and that is good for helping people, making them feel proud themselves."

Chris Green was introduced to the Bradford Works project six months ago through the Leaving Care service.

"It has given me a lot of knowledge about gardening and pruning, how flower beds need to be set out, anything to do with garden maintenance. It has helped me in a lot of ways and given me a lot of key skills."

The 20-year-old from Thorpe Edge believes he would have been struggling and settling for jobs he may not have been as keen to pursue had he not gained skills through Bradford Works.

"It is like a pathway," says Chris.

Norman Sullivan previously worked for the local council before becoming a carer for family. The 54-year-old from Keighley has also worked in a mental health environment.

He came to Bradford Works to give something back and says it is such a rewarding role. "To support young people and to see them develop and gain confidence it is so humbling and it is great to help young people.

"It's one of those jobs and you just want to go - it is so rewarding," adds Norman.

After developing his interest in Kirklees, Richard Brown now works as a horticultural therapist for South West Yorkshire NHS Foundation Trust.

Eager to explore the development and practice of horticultural therapy, Richard was awarded and completed a Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2013 which involved travelling to the USA and Canada. His comparison with the practice in the UK led to his report "Therapeutic Horticulture: Horticulture as a Medical Treatment."

Richard says it is difficult to track where horticultural therapy began in the UK. He explains it developed out of large scale psychiatric hospitals.

"They were often very much self sustaining premises and grew their own fruit, vegetables and reared animals. People began realising that the patients took an interest and were gaining something from carrying out these processes," he explains.

"As the profession of Occupational Therapy developed and an understanding of the therapeutic benefits of being involved in activity became understood horticultural therapy began to emerge."