L Garden of the Senses of Villa Segettaro is reborn thanks to the project Don’t forget about yourself promoted by the cities of Trani and Bisceglie thanks to the associations The Pineto And Ark of the Covenantwinners of the tender Puglia Social Capital 3.0.
The funds made available by the Puglia Region have made it possible to redevelop the green area attached to the Pineto headquarters, a socio-educational center that supports people with disabilities, and has guided families along a path of psychological support for parenting with meetings held by mediators family members of the Ark of the Covenant. The institutions also wanted to be present at the inauguration of the sensory garden: Laura Liddo (Manager of the Social Wellbeing section) e Valentina Romano (Director of the Welfare Department) for the Puglia Region; Alessandra Rondinone And Roberta Rigantecouncilors for Social Policies for the municipalities of Trani and Bisceglie, who sponsored the project.
“The enormous commitment shown by the kids who attend our association really moved us. We put them under pressure – he admits Francesco De Feudis, president of the Il Pineto association – worked with us in the cold and in the heat, demonstrating collaboration and enthusiasm. Gardening is tiring but offers wonderful satisfaction, which we share with the professionals who supported us.” The precious contribution given to the project by the children of Pineto, their families and the volunteers of the structure was coordinated by Saverio Calò, an educator who works in close contact with the children of Pineto, and Pietro Casamassima, the gardener who led the work in the months of preparing the soil and sowing, which gave the garden a spectacle of shapes and colours.
“The Atad il Pineto Association has been working for years with the support of families and volunteers. There are many activities that our children carry out with commitment and curiosity every day; we noticed a particular involvement in welcoming nursery and primary school children here in the garden. With the guidance of our educator Saverio, together with the volunteers and kids from the Pineto, the young guests got to know the different ornamental and medicinal plants and the vegetable garden, many particular species that characterize the Garden of the Sensi – he says Francesca Barbagiovanni, sociologist and project coordinator. Barbagiovanni anticipates the programs for the future: “Villa Segettaro will keep its doors open to all those who want to carve out a moment of healthy sharing of social experiences: students, citizens of all ages, tourists, volunteers eager to give their contribution to the maintenance of this lovely place. We have many initiatives on the agenda both during the summer and starting from September, when all activities will resume.”
“The journey undertaken with families to talk about parenting was an exciting journey, full of ideas for growth and reflection. The couples who participated were protagonists of small changes which they then brought back to their relationship system.” These are the words of Leonardo Trione, psychologist counselor and family mediator of the Arca dell’Alleanza association of Bisceglie, regarding the path of education and support for parenting, as part of the Don’t Forget About You project. “Especially in the most delicate moments, the accompaniment of a professional can really help to overcome crisis situations” states Dr. Trione, who concludes: “This is what we recommend especially in the phase of adolescent metamorphosis, a topic that we have addressed several times during the meetings that have marked the last few months. A good dialogue between parents can accompany the moments of growth of their children and promote calm in the storm that can arise within the walls of the home”.
“I will come and visit the garden soon,” he promised Valentina Romanowho spoke via video call, “because we are happy to see the results achieved by the associations, a virtuous example of how to best use the resources put in place by the Region which in this case has the merit of bringing together multiple subjects, capable of develop a beautiful project.”
Laura Liddo comments enthusiastically on the work carried out in the garden of the senses and applauds the children involved in the project: “The social agriculture that is so talked about finds truly gratifying results in this project, considering the noble aim of the initiative not aimed at the collection and marketing of the products but to create added value to the social capital, which is demonstrated in this project”.
The councilors for social policies of the municipalities of Trani and Bisceglie, Alessandra Rondinone And Roberta Rigante, showed great emotion when faced with the beauty of the garden, which was also visited in June last year by the mayors of the two cities who sponsored the project. Both thanked the associations involved, the children and their families, the volunteers and the Region, hoping to be able to show the virtuous example created by the “Don’t Forget About You” project to the citizens of Trani and Bisceglie.
