Dr Duika Burges Watson, Durham University

1. Station Masters Centre and
Community Wildlife Garden: a social
innovation
Dr Duika Burges Watson, Centre for Public Policy
and Health, Durham University

2. Social innovation
• “A novel solution to a social problem that is more effective,
efficient, sustainable, or just than existing solutions and for
which the value created accrues primarily to society as a
whole rather than private individuals” (Phills et al, 2008)
• “Innovative forms of social enterprise—that is, businesses
that exist to fulfil a social (including environmental) objective
and typically reinvest a substantial portion of their profit or
surplus in the fulfilment of that purpose” (Mason et al, 2015).
Phills, J.A., Deiglmeier, K. and Miller, D.T., 2008. Rediscovering social
innovation. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 6(4), pp.34-43.
Mason, C., Barraket, J., Friel, S., O'Rourke, K. and Stenta, C.P., 2015. Social
innovation for the promotion of health equity. Health promotion international, 30(suppl
2), pp.ii116-ii125.

3. Innovative model: ”mobilization of latent or unrealised value through new
combinations of (social, cultural and material) resources” (Mason et al, 2015)
Purpose/functions:
• Social, environmental, health equity

4. May 2013
• First volunteers: team V
Our aims and objectives
a) To promote and enhance the use of
green space
b) To protect and promote the
biodiversity and landscape value (and
organic gardening for food)
c) To advance community cohesion
Committee Members: Duika Burges Watson (chair) Mark Frampton (treasurer) Anna Richardson
(secretary) Dave Turnbull, Emma Norris, Dave Robinson, Sue Pethybridge, Nicki Wynne, Paul
Yarde, David Summers, Lyndsay Yarde

5. February 2016
• Gardening
– Tree Grafting workshops
– Wassailing
– Composting workshops
– Seed Swaps
– Willow-weaving workshops
– Volunteering days
– Pond workshop
– Bird, bat identification
– Bee world (Rockcliffe first school/FOE)
• Food
– Community barbecues
– Potato/apple celebrations
– Community meal and cook-in
– Flavour masterclass (WB High School)
– Grazing/foraging events
– Hedgerow medicine
– Swap-a-lot and harvest festival
• Entertainment/art/events
– Music festival (mini woodstocks!)
– Annual Halloween event
– Part of WB Community Carnival
–Community choir, local musicians
– ‘Year of art’ in the garden (2015)
–Poetry in the Garden
–Story tellers festival
–Craft events
• Social inclusion
– Youth offenders gardening programme
– Bangladeshi community ‘Eid Festival’
– New Prospects barbecues/events
– ‘Host’ for environmental groups
– ‘Forest school’
– Cubs and brownies
– Cancer fundraiser
– Cancer memorial space and
labyrinth (in progress)

10. Trevor Hancock, M.B., 2015. Population health promotion 2.0: An eco-social approach to public
health in the Anthropocene. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 106(4), p.E252.

11. The Yoga Station
Since Sept 2013
Tai chi, hatha yoga, iyengar yoga, ashtanga yoga, forrest yoga,
‘golden’ yoga, St Paul’s yoga group, restorative yoga,
pregnancy yoga, pilates, dance, children’s yoga, chi running,
mums and babies play, parkour, thai yoga massage & teacher
training, community choir, meditation, mindfulness, thai
massage, perfume workshops, tree grafting, garden design,
art exhibits, Whitley Bay film festival, Cloud Nine theatre
group, food workshops

12. I am involved in all this AND I’m a full time
academic? HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?

13. Community

14. Translational research in public health
a ‘hotbed’ of practice into research and research into
practice; inspiring research grants, publications, new
theoretical explanations; inspiring innovation
• Replenishing spaces: exploring opportunities and developing a knowledge
base for enhanced food forging. Resilience of the UK food system in a global
context, BBSRC £980k (under review) Burges Watson DL (PI), Roe M (PI),
Townshend T, Haighton K
• Burges Watson, DL; Lewis S; Bryant, V; Patterson, J; Kelly, C; Edwards-Stuart,
R; Deary, V. Altered eating: a new framework for health research and
practice, BMJ (under review)
• Burges Watson DL, Moore HJ. Community gardening and obesity.
Perspectives in public health 2011; 131(4): 163

15. Translational research and social enterprise and
innovation – mutual benefit for health and
wellbeing

16. The Station Masters Community Wildlife Garden
The Yoga Station
cawcra@gmail.com
info@theyogastation.org
www.thestationmastersgarden.org
www.theyogastation.org