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Maura Sheehy (centre) of Maura’s Cottage Flowers delivers plants to members of the Phoenix Women’s Centre, Rita Byrne, Rita O’Sullivan, Mary Tarrant Lynch and Mary Jo Quigley. Photo by Dermot Crean
THE Phoenix Women’s Centre in Tralee is engaging the services of a local herbalist and florist after being allocated funding from the Community Mental Health Small Grants Scheme for 2021, in association with Kerry County Council, Healthy Kerry and Pobal.
The funding will allow the group facilitate a gardening project for women in conjunction with Maura’s Cottage Flowers of Ballyroe and herbalist Christine Best.
Studies show spending time connecting with nature, potting and tending pants triggers a physiological response that lowers stress levels, satisfies an innate drive to connect with nature, and restores the ability to concentrate and focus.
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Christine Best Herbalist and Maura Sheehy from Maura’s Cottage Flowers have come together to roll out this initiative and Zoom classes will be held to share their knowledge. The PWC also thanked also to Gretta O’Rourke of the Tralee Community Garden project.
“To date we have discovered that Zoom classes encourage women to connect, share their experiences, and encourages them to optimise their well-being,” said Marian Fitzgerald of the Phoenix Women’s Centre.
“A by-product of this project will be that women will become more familiar with the workings of the centre and hopefully it will encourage them to avail of our services or signpost a friend to it when required,” added Marian.
“It is envisaged that this initiative will spark an interest in some, to continue gardening long after this project is completed and in rolling out this project we are sowing seeds in more ways than one. All materials and classes are free if interested please email info@phoneixwomenscentre.ie or call 066 9130430. Our phone lines are open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10am to 2pm,” said Marian.
The Phoenix Women’s Centre is located at Market Place, Maine Street, Tralee.
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