When you first meet Don Cross, you might notice him sizing you up. By his own admission, he wants to see what he can get away with.
“I very rarely miss a chance to wind someone up,” he tells me.
But behind the dry wit and cheeky grin you’ll very quickly find a soft heart. The reason I met with Don for coffee in the first place was because he’s putting that soft heart to extraordinary use, and I wanted to hear more.
Don's a member of Nativity Church in Blenheim. With a background in irrigation and agriculture, he teaches horticulture at Te Pūkenga NMIT. Recently, though, he started something called Healing Horticulture.
Healing Horticulture is a mental health intervention initiative. The philosophy behind it is that mental health issues don’t happen out of nowhere, like a sudden fall from a cliff. They often result from a build-up of stresses and pressures that cause instability.
A free six-week evening course, Healing Horticulture seeks to reach out to and provide basic ongoing support for people who are experiencing anxiety, depression or loneliness. It uses a basic introduction to horticulture as a vehicle to provide support, a listening ear, a bit of kai and some good old simple TLC – all whilst learning and laughing.
“My reasons for developing and facilitating Healing Horticulture spawn from my very essence,” Don says.
A few years back, Don was confronted with a profound sense of powerlessness when he encountered a loved one grappling with mental health issues. He noticed the extent of poor mental wellbeing in New Zealand right now – evidence shows that one in three kiwis experiences mental health issues. Don wanted to make a difference.
Don uses this introduction to basic horticultural practices as a “carrot” to draw people into Healing Horticulture. It’s a practical course, and he teaches on topics like propagation, soil componentry, bugs, tool sharpening and predicting the weather. Participants are given propagator seed trays, seeds, cuttings, composter ingredients, potting mixes and various booklets. The shared interest in gardening breaks down barriers within the group, and leads to the next part of the module – a short talk on a topic around mental health.
This is when Don starts a conversation on something like the concept of hope or how to keep calm. He’s been working with mental health professionals to develop his topics. It’s not an overtly Christian talk, but his faith tends to bleed into his message one way or another, as the reason for his own hope.
The group then breaks into smaller groups, each with a facilitator called a Garden Angel. These Garden Angels play a vital role in the long-term success of Healing Horticulture. They foster the development and maintenance of lasting friendships and support networks outside the course, making the impact of the initiative extend far beyond the classroom.
“Is it hard?” I ask.
He pauses. This is significant – Don is a good talker. But this is our longest break in conversation.
“No,” he answers.
He knows to refer people onto professional help when it’s more serious than he can deal with. He takes great satisfaction in simply connecting with people.
As we go to leave the cafe, a woman stops Don with an enthusiastic greeting. She gives him a big hug and they catch up briefly. Afterwards, he tells me that was someone he’d met through a Healing Horticulture course.
It’s clear that Don is making a difference in his community. He’s run seven courses in Blenheim so far and one in Renwick, and in the future he’s planning to hold some in Spring Creek, Havelock and Rai Valley. He was recently asked to facilitate a Healing Horticulture class for highschool students and also for primary school kids.
“Healing Horticulture is my gift back to society,” he says. He’s excited to see how it continues to grow, and what opportunities God will keep placing before him.
Check out other articles in the
Lay Legends
series below.
More articles in the
Lay Legends
series are to come.
We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
When you first meet Don Cross, you might notice him sizing you up. By his own admission, he wants to see what he can get away with.
“I very rarely miss a chance to wind someone up,” he tells me.
But behind the dry wit and cheeky grin you’ll very quickly find a soft heart. The reason I met with Don for coffee in the first place was because he’s putting that soft heart to extraordinary use, and I wanted to hear more.
Don's a member of Nativity Church in Blenheim. With a background in irrigation and agriculture, he teaches horticulture at Te Pūkenga NMIT. Recently, though, he started something called Healing Horticulture.
Healing Horticulture is a mental health intervention initiative. The philosophy behind it is that mental health issues don’t happen out of nowhere, like a sudden fall from a cliff. They often result from a build-up of stresses and pressures that cause instability.
A free six-week evening course, Healing Horticulture seeks to reach out to and provide basic ongoing support for people who are experiencing anxiety, depression or loneliness. It uses a basic introduction to horticulture as a vehicle to provide support, a listening ear, a bit of kai and some good old simple TLC – all whilst learning and laughing.
“My reasons for developing and facilitating Healing Horticulture spawn from my very essence,” Don says.
A few years back, Don was confronted with a profound sense of powerlessness when he encountered a loved one grappling with mental health issues. He noticed the extent of poor mental wellbeing in New Zealand right now – evidence shows that one in three kiwis experiences mental health issues. Don wanted to make a difference.
Don uses this introduction to basic horticultural practices as a “carrot” to draw people into Healing Horticulture. It’s a practical course, and he teaches on topics like propagation, soil componentry, bugs, tool sharpening and predicting the weather. Participants are given propagator seed trays, seeds, cuttings, composter ingredients, potting mixes and various booklets. The shared interest in gardening breaks down barriers within the group, and leads to the next part of the module – a short talk on a topic around mental health.
This is when Don starts a conversation on something like the concept of hope or how to keep calm. He’s been working with mental health professionals to develop his topics. It’s not an overtly Christian talk, but his faith tends to bleed into his message one way or another, as the reason for his own hope.
The group then breaks into smaller groups, each with a facilitator called a Garden Angel. These Garden Angels play a vital role in the long-term success of Healing Horticulture. They foster the development and maintenance of lasting friendships and support networks outside the course, making the impact of the initiative extend far beyond the classroom.
“Is it hard?” I ask.
He pauses. This is significant – Don is a good talker. But this is our longest break in conversation.
“No,” he answers.
He knows to refer people onto professional help when it’s more serious than he can deal with. He takes great satisfaction in simply connecting with people.
As we go to leave the cafe, a woman stops Don with an enthusiastic greeting. She gives him a big hug and they catch up briefly. Afterwards, he tells me that was someone he’d met through a Healing Horticulture course.
It’s clear that Don is making a difference in his community. He’s run seven courses in Blenheim so far and one in Renwick, and in the future he’s planning to hold some in Spring Creek, Havelock and Rai Valley. He was recently asked to facilitate a Healing Horticulture class for highschool students and also for primary school kids.
“Healing Horticulture is my gift back to society,” he says. He’s excited to see how it continues to grow, and what opportunities God will keep placing before him.
Check out other articles in the
Lay Legends
series below.
More articles in the
Lay Legends
series are to come.
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