An Andover mental health charity is set to offer free workshops as part of a week-long celebration of sustainable living.

Andover Mind will be part of Winchester Green Week 2024, collaborating with award-winning garden designer Leigh Johnstone, known as The Beardy Gardener.

The event, which takes place from September 23 to 29, will be held at the Garden for Mind, Longstock Park Nursery, on the John Lewis-owned Leckford Estate.

The outdoor space is designed to support both wellbeing and environmental sustainability, providing an opportunity to connect with nature and experience the benefits of "green therapy."

Led by The Beardy Gardener and Libby Hilling, a social value delivery volunteer at Andover Mind, the charity is offering free workshops on Sunday, September 22, and Thursday, September 26.

The workshops will include spring bulb planting, border design, and talks on "Getting Kids into Gardening," "Gardening for Wellbeing," and "Picking Plants for Wellbeing."

There will also be a guided wellbeing walk around the garden.

Mr Johnstone, a former theatre director who rediscovered his love for plants during the Covid-19 pandemic, is a strong supporter of the power of gardening to improve wellbeing.

A mental health campaigner himself, Mr Johnstone uses his personal experiences to highlight the transformative benefits of gardening.

One of the highlights will be the talk, "How Gardening Saved My Life," where Mr Johnstone and Ms Hilling will share their mental health journey and the role gardening played in their recovery.

Winchester Green Week is organised by communities, environmental groups, educational institutions, and businesses.