Useful And Fantastic: Flower Sharing
Flowers can be better than pills in cheering up those who are depressed, suggests Val Yule.
People with gardens enjoy passers-by sharing their pleasure. We could share our flower bonanzas further since flowers can be a tremendous cheer-up for people such as harassed lonely mothers and people in hospitals or aged homes. It would be great if voluntary organisations could arrange so that flower-gardeners can link up with volunteers, like Meals on Wheels, who could take flowers to places such as psychiatric clinics, unemployment centres, creches and opportunity shops, where people who may be depressed, unhappy, burdened or harassed can take them to enjoy in their homes.
Many people cannot buy or grow flowers. Flowers can be carried in 2-litre plastic milk bottles cut-down to leave a bit of a handle, in a plastic bag, and can be kept in them too, with water, if people do not have vases or energy to arrange them. Carry the bottle in a plastic bag.
I often saw how much lonely or harassed people were cheered up by flowers for their own home, when I worked in clinics and the community. For depressed or overworked people, having some lovely flowers in the home can be a sign that others care, as well as making their surroundings so much better. Flowers can be better than pills. Children love flowers too.
Could local community volunteers organize something, perhaps linked with Meals on Wheels and various clinics and other places where people come who could be cheered up by flowers in their home?
There could be a volunteer or staff who might like to be the contact person for people with surplus flowers in their homes to ring to have flowers collected, or find out where they could take them.
And see http://www.globalideasbank.org/site/bank/idea.php?ideaId=4564
