PATIENTS at a Teignbridge hospital have been benefitting from an environmental project aimed at supporting at hedgerows.

Alex Watkins, Occupational Therapy Technician at Langdon Hospital, near Dawlish has been instrumental in the development of the project which blends environmental conservation with patient wellbeing.

As part of that work, Alex undertook some training with the Devon Rural Skills Trust (DRST) to help enrich the work at Langdon, learning new skills as part of his professional development which he has been sharing with patients during therapeutic sessions.

The Trust is a registered charity and was launched at the Devon County Show in 1980 with a view to preserving traditional rural skills.

Run by volunteers, hands-on training days and demonstrations help to achieve it’s aim of preserving the old countrywide skills.

People are shown how to use and look after traditional tools and taught the necessary skills to build and maintain field boundaries, old buildings and other structures.

Alex said: ‘As a result of my training with DRST, patients have started steeping (the Devon word for laying trees over) the edge of our old orchard and work done during the winter has now started to bud and grow.

‘Before long we’ll see a dramatic change and a beautiful new feature in the landscape!

‘Looking to the future, there will be plenty more hedge steeping to be done and we hope to introduce drystone walling to the site as well.’

The Trust also offers training opportunities, instructs on courses for other bodies and offers membership opportunities for people interested.

Beyond the practical skills offered, many participants also benefit mentally from what is offered.

Don Gaskins, one of the practitioners, said: ‘Endless studies have been carried out which talk about the benefits of being outside in the natural world relieving stress and anxiety.

‘Our courses provide the opportunity to put these ideas into practice, while producing something beneficial and of practical use.

‘It’s important that people go home with a feeling of having achieved something and over the years we have had feedback from people that DRST has given them a new interest in life with beneficial results for their mental wellbeing too.’

You can find out more about DRST, courses offered and membership opportunities by visiting the website.