Pathway is delighted to have donated The Pathway Garden to the Shekinah Centre in recognition and support of their vitally important work as a key charity partner in the network of services across Plymouth supporting people out of homelessness. The network includes the Health Inclusion team at University Hospitals Plymouth (HIPP), who work in close collaboration with the Shekinah charity to provide holistic, compassionate care at the community-based centre. The HIPP team is one of the expert homelessness teams working under the Pathway Partnership Programme. The Shekinah Centre moved to their current purpose-built premises in 2023. An empty outside space has now been transformed by the arrival of The Pathway Garden.
The official opening of the garden at the Shekinah Centre took place on Friday 4th July, where the ribbon was cut by Manzoor, one of the Pathway volunteers whose personal journey out of homelessness inspired the design and who worked hand in hand with the garden designers on the project. Alex Bax, Pathway CEO, addressed a large gathering of leaders from across the city of Plymouth and the community gathered to celebrate the opening.
Pathway is thrilled that the garden is having a transformational impact for all at the Shekinah Centre – service users, staff and volunteers – enhancing the nurturing support and care provided. With the design reflecting Pathway’s work on tackling health inequalities, the garden is now at the heart of the charity whose very mission is to help people build healthy lives and futures.
Gardens have always been spaces for healing and recovery, whether for individuals or entire communities. We are delighted that the legacy of our RHS Chelsea show garden will be for it to be enjoyed as a place of recovery and sanctuary by people being given expert help at the Shekinah Centre, while also standing as a reminder of the profound health inequalities faced by people experiencing homelessness.
Alex Bax, Pathway CEO
The Pathway Garden celebrates the journeys of those rebuilding their lives and health with dignity and purpose. Our partnership with Pathway truly reflects what Shekinah is all about – working collaboratively across the community to help bring real change to people’s lives.
John Hamblin, Shekinah CEO
