Northern Ireland

A man planting potatoes in a garden, bent over with a shovel, with a background of a building, grassy fields, and trees.
Ashes to Gold logo with a green leaf graphic

Ashes to Gold

Ashes to Gold, Working to Restore a Life’s Purpose, is the DGS Hub delivery partner in Coleraine. Based on a wonderful 10-acre site, the landscaped paths, lake and forest as well as dedicated polytunnels provide every facility for a wide range of nature based therapy options.

The GROW project focuses on inspiring the community to get physically active and produce their own food in a sociable and supportive environment. Working with nature and gardening have been proven to help increase your physical, mental and social well-being. It is also very rewarding to see your hard work pay off when harvest arrives and the gardens have produced delicious fruits and vegetables.

A group of five people are gathered outside on a grassy area around a picnic table, with a small greenhouse nearby. Some are seated, some standing, and they appear to be preparing or serving food on a sunny day.
Logo for The Somme Nursing Home featuring a red poppy flower, green border, and address at 121 Circular Road Belfast BT4 2NA.

The Somme Nursing Home

The Somme Nursing Home is a charity established in 1914 to provide treatment and quality care for ex-service people and their spouses.The Home exists to create an environment where compassion and understanding of the unique needs of the ex-service resident is paramount to the delivery of care.

The Somme Nursing Home remains a strong and passionate DGS Spoke garden. This garden is a project aimed at reducing isolation for the Armed Forces community living in the local and surrounding area, helping them respond to isolation and loneliness, improve their mental health and wellbeing, develop new friendships and networks and have positive experiences.

An arrangement of various colorful fall leaves, with a large green leaf in the center.
Logo of the Department of Justice with a geometric emblem and text

HMP Maghaberry

DGS has previously delivered ‘Seeds of Change’ a 10-week Programme to Military Veterans in HMP Maghaberry, Northern Ireland; two in 2023 and one in 2024. In Spring 2025, DGS was awarded a Veterans' Foundation Major Grant, to enable further development and evaluation of this in-prison 10-week programme and to include DGS becoming a City and Guilds Approved Centre. DGS will be delivering Level 2 Horticulture, at HMP Maghaberry, NI and by working with the other Major Grant holders to ensure cohesive and collaborative planning, begin Seeds of Change delivery in Scotland.

DGS are committed to the support and progression of Veterans who have found themselves part of the Criminal Justice System and are members of the Cobseo Justice Cluster.