Four weeks ago Andrew Jenkins walked back into Morriston Hospital for the first time in 26 years. This time he went round the back, to a farm.
The Traitors finalist spent time harvesting fruit and veg with patients from Fendrod Ward, an acute adult mental health ward at Tawe Clinic, at Cae Felin Community Supported Agriculture.
Then came a cuppa and a chat about wellbeing, resilience, mental health and what being outdoors had done for him.
He said: “I am so impressed by Cae Felin. It’s a wonderful project in so many ways and it’s fantastic to see it flourish through the hard work and commitment of the volunteers and everyone involved.”
The physio who sent him there
The invitation came from Clare Ford, the physiotherapist who helped Andrew use his arm again after the 1999 crash that left him in a coma at Morriston Hospital for four weeks.
She spotted the match between his talks and the farm, and asked him to meet the patients who work there every week.
Clare said: “Andrew is an inspirational speaker and is committed to helping others through sharing his own very personal experiences and insights regarding mental health and wellbeing. It was wonderful to see patients engaging with and spending time with Andrew.”
A seven-acre oasis behind the hospital
Cae Felin sits on seven acres beside the hospital in Morriston. Swansea Bay University Health Board owns the land, but the project is a not-for-profit run independently of it, the health board says.
Volunteers grow food, plant trees and run sessions for patients, staff groups, schools, community organisations and a Men’s Shed. The health board calls it an “oasis of calm” with views across open countryside, a few hundred yards from a busy hospital.
Andrew, who has spoken at around 55 schools in recent years, said the food growing mattered too. “It’s not always easy for young people to understand where their food comes from and how it’s grown.”
He added: “From my experience, being outdoors and in nature is a key part of managing and improving my mental health.”
Why it matters to him
Andrew was 21 when a car crash on the way home from a wedding shattered his skull and wrecked his arm. He recovered physically, then spent two decades hiding what it had done to him.
Only in recent years, with counselling, has he made progress on his own mental health. He now travels the UK speaking about grief, adversity and recovery, and has spoken to Swansea schoolchildren alongside Ospreys players.
He said: “This is a perfect place to learn and see first-hand some of the skills we’ve largely lost. It’s so close to Morriston but in many ways feels like a different world.”
If you need someone to talk to, Samaritans is available free on 116 123, day or night.
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