A Pembrokeshire mental health charity is celebrating after scooping two national awards in the same week.

The VC Gallery won the Social Farm & Gardens and NHS Team of the Year awards just days apart.

Founded by Barry John MBE, the charity runs a project called Dig for Victory in St Ishmaels which works with Second World War veterans in the community by teaching them how to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

The charity also offers a range of other activities in Pembrokeshire such as poetry, photography, walking football, and surfing, and helped feed over 100 families last year.

“So that award we went to last Wednesday in Machynlleth in North Wales was about social farming and gardening awards and the VC Gallery there won the award for what they do under that project.

“Then on Thursday we went to Parc y Scarlets which is Llanelli Rugby Club for the NHS awards, and we won Team of the Year in a really strong category.

“Two awards in one week which is really cool because it's too different projects, two different sides of it. You got the outreach which is Dig for Victory, and you got the internal award, as a team for the NHS awards.”

“That team of the year award recognises that my staff are all working hard to provide a meaningful caring environment for Pembrokeshire for people’s wellbeing, mental health, and opportunities.”

Mr John, a former member of the military, decided to set up the gallery after studying mental health and spending time as an armed forces painter.

“When I was in the military I did boxing and football. You get an injury in boxing or football, you see it. 

“But if someone has been traumatised, who’s got anxiety or is feeling low, depression, low mood, come from an abusive relationship, their childhood was difficult, and they’ve taken that through life, and they never really understood what went on. 

“So, I wanted to give people the opportunity to open up and come into the charity and talk, and if they don’t want to talk it's fine. We got engagements but they’re not alone.”

Furthermore, the VC Gallery has contributed towards the aims of the well-being of the Generations Act Wales and Sir John is determined to make lasting change to the environment.

“Were always thinking about treating nature to using the ground ethically and healthily and that we're passing new information on to different generations and that we are being mindful of our environment.

“So, making sure that other people can in the future look at the heritage of the site and can also learn new things healthily through better diet and that’s transformative for the rest of their lives really.”

For more information about The VC Gallery and its many projects, visit thevcgallery.com.