Supporting Mental Health in Horticulture

“When my former employer asked for volunteers to sign up to be a Mental Health First Aider through Perennial, I put my hand up immediately. Over the years I’ve known half a dozen guys who’ve taken their own life.... there is always someone going through very hard times and if I can help, even just a little bit, it can only be a good thing.”

I’ve worked in landscaping all my life – my brother owned his own commercial block paving company. I’ve always enjoyed working outdoors and creating things, so I worked with him for about 15 years on some fantastic projects like the Channel Tunnel, Legoland and Disneyland Paris.

When I moved to Essex I set up my own company in the domestic paving market which took a lot of hard work but it really took off. So I am very used to being self-employed and working alone or with a couple of labourers.

My work was assessed by Marshalls Accreditation Scheme for quality and eventually, when my back and knees started to give me trouble, I was asked to join them as an assessor which I did and that’s what I do now. I work with about 150 contractors, nearly all of them are men, and there is always someone going through very hard times.

Lads open up to me. I’ve worked hard and been in their shoes, I’m not a suit. Lads under pressure aren’t talking to the people they work with and the people running businesses often have no one to talk to. I try and be approachable and build relations on site, I’m not their mate and I’m not their boss so I am easy to talk to.

For small businesses there are so many variables that can send someone over the edge now - it only takes one customer not paying on time, or their costs have increased and they haven’t priced the job to cover it, the weather’s not been their friend or staff have gone sick. It can get too much. I use the analogy of a fizzy pop bottle. You can take so much but if you shake it up the top will come off.

It doesn’t take a lot today. Financial pressures mean that everyone is at 8.5/10 already, so it doesn’t take much to get someone to over 10. Some contractors I’ve known for 15 years are at their wits end. I can spot the signs. I’ll let them know I’m coming to site and something in their voice will tell me they need to talk, so we’ll go out for a coffee and a sandwich and not talk work at all, they just need to talk, have your full attention and be really listened to.

A former work colleague took his own life. I spoke to him many times on the phone and told him I was always there for him, no matter what time of day. He did everything right, he went to the docs, he was talking to people, going to the gym, I thought he was doing OK. I spoke to him on the Friday and on the Monday my former employer called to say they had terrible news. Death is like ripples in a pond, it impacts so many people. I always find myself thinking of his family.

I have a big pair of ears and if people can genuinely relate to you they don’t feel like it’s ‘only me’. I’m also in a position where I can sometimes help professionally as well, mediating between a customer, contractor and supplier to help resolve an issue.

The main issue is work stress. It’s a race to the bottom at the moment. Customers sometimes don’t pay as they will find details on the internet to try and challenge the quality of work, and work isn’t easy to come by either. Plus running a business and employing people is expensive so costs are going up. If I can help even just a little bit it can only be a good thing.

A healthy team creates a healthy focus. If people are going off sick due to stress it’s bad for them and it’s bad for business. It’s so important employers in this industry have Mental Health First Aiders so people know who they can speak to when they need to."