Gardening against the odds

A new video from the Church of England looks at the way a gardening project is transforming the lives of homeless people in London.

The Putting Down Roots project is run by homeless charity St Mungo's in the gardens of St John's Church, Waterloo.

The project gives opportunities to homeless people to work in the grounds with qualified horticultural trainers.

They are able to develop skills that will help them move into further training or employment.

The video shows a recent visit from the Bishop of Carlisle, the Right Reverend James Newcome, as part of the national Gardening Against the Odds awards run by the Conservation Foundation.

Bishop Newcome said: "The transforming of lives and the environment is right at the heart of everything that St Mungo's is doing."

Putting Down Roots gardener trainer, Jeff Morgan, who himself has experienced homelessness said: "This really is a team project at St John's.

"Our clients give hours of their time back to their neighbourhood, making the gardens a lovely space for the local community to really enjoy."