RESIDENTS who triumphed over drug and alcohol addiction problems have been getting green fingers by working on a community allotment.

Service users from the Addaction centre have been spending time outdoors, planting seeds and growing produce at the allotment.

The hard-working gardeners have also made furniture, transformed old pallets into quirky chairs, benches, planters and flower boxes.

As well as growing beautiful flowers and vegetation, the green-fingered teams have been enjoying the calm of the allotment, improving their mental wellbeing and sharing stories of their own recovery from addiction.

Emma Wiggins, service user and volunteer coordinator for Addaction St Helens, says the allotment activities are great metaphors for a fulfilling life after addiction.

She said: “Pulling apart old pallets to make new structures that grow life reflects pulling apart an old social network that was bad for you, and replacing it with new hobbies as part of a much happier life in recovery.

“Or take the example of when flowers need their old roots pulling apart and to be replanted in a bigger pot with fresh soil. This mirrors how your mental health can deteriorate if you isolate yourself. Recovery means broadening your horizons and becoming more open-minded.”

Roots to Recovery is a 12-week course running until October 18 that is supported by The Mersey Forest, Nature for Health and the Big Lottery Fund.