Chaplain Kevin Santucci has been extolling the virtues of gardening as he prepares to launch his second series of Grow, Eat, Save classes.

Not only does growing your own food bring you closer to nature and allows you to save money, he says, it helps us to relieve stress and can even reduce violence in a community.

The chaplain will launch a free, six-week gardening course on Thursday, August 11, thanks to support and sponsorship from the Department of Health, Department of Parks, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Animal and Garden, Brighton Hill Nurseries, Belco and Market Place.

The success of the first class which he launched back in March continues to grow — about 60 students joined the oversubscribed course at the Bermuda Youth Library — so Mr Santucci is looking for a larger, centrally located venue to accommodate approximately double the number for the next course.

Mr Santucci, who is giving his own time for free to run the classes, told The Royal Gazette: “I believe that if you are going to help a nation it doesn’t have to be because of dollars and cents — there has to be a passion and a sense of belonging.

“I believe that at least if we can help our nation to become self-sufficient then we have won the battle on how to help our society to live and at the same time to appreciate having a few extra dollars in their pocket to use wisely.

“The other side of the coin is here — there are other benefits of gardening such as breaking down violence.

“Gardening helps to restrain violence and helps to cause those who display violent behaviour to withdraw from that element of desiring to be in control to now be more submissive and live in harmony with nature.

“There are other elements of reversal through gardening — scientists and doctors do know it relieves stress. Gardening is one of those entities that we have been given by our creator to help to keep us in balance. It would be wise of us to try and learn the value of gardening and the true value that it not only brings to your pocket but also to your health.”

Mr Santucci will now have a helping hand from fellow facilitator Neville Richardson of the Department of Parks and the upcoming course will be more hands on, allowing students to grow food in a series of plots.

Mr Santucci added: “I realised in the first class that people need more of a hands on experience so we will be having plots of gardens and they will be working their gardens. With this particular project Ag and Fish [Department of Agriculture and Fisheries] is doing a lot of the legwork pertaining to the plots. The health department is still working with us and our agents.

“It will run for six weeks compared to the five weeks previously as more people have asked for it to be longer so they can understand better. I am excited about it.”

There are spaces still available. The first class is Thursday, August 31, and they continue every Thursday thereafter. The free classes will run from 5.30pm to 6.30pm. To register e-mail Mellonie Furbert at mlbfurbert@gov.bm