IT'S a grey day on the Purbecks, but just to be out among the beautiful countryside lifts the spirits. I am on my way to meet Dave Pagett, a community mental health nurse who has hit on a winning formula for helping clients.

The Margaret Green Foundation Project started two years ago when Dave was trying to find individual work places for people with severe and enduring mental illness such as schizophrenia and depression.

When he contacted the foundation, which runs an animal sanctuary at Church Knowle, he was asked if he could do anything with a piece of land that had become overgrown after once being cultivated for fruit and vegetables.

"I jumped in and said 'yes'," he recalled. "We had a number of clients that needed day care services and this was a way to move people back towards purposeful occupation and employment."

With the help of Beverly Mantell, a member of the community mental health team, the project began on the 34-acre site.

The involvement of Kingston Maurward College near Dorchester and Dorset Social Services' community employment services meant that people could gain some professional training while they were working.

"In the first year we survived on small donations, then the Richmond Fellowship provided the money to buy plastic for the polytunnel. The shed was donated from one of the service user's relatives. Everything has been done on a shoestring," said Dave.

Nicky Porter, the horticultural tutor from the college, explained: "We grow organic vegetables for the animals as much as possible, and this year we have been selling plants outside the shop. We will be giving donations to the Margaret Green Foundation from sales and also money goes back into the project."

People also have the opportunity to work with the animals under the instruction of Carol Mansfield, an animal welfare and care lecturer from Kingston Maurward.

Church Knowle's 350 "guests" include chickens, cats, horses, donkeys, sheep, cows, rabbits and other small animals. Once a month the workers can go to the foundation's premises at Bere Regis to help walk the dogs.

"I think there's an empathy there because most of the animals have had a pretty raw deal," said Dave.

As well as growing plants and trees, so far their contributions include building a pond and starting to create a beautiful pets' cemetery to a design by Steve Lillis.

Dave explained that one of the problems of working with people with long-term mental health problems was to get them motivated and committed to anything. "It affects every aspect of your life. You can't engage in normal activities because your confidence won't allow it.

"What's been interesting is that people have consistently wanted to come back to the project. The improvement has been fantastic. We've got some people from very low levels of functioning to high levels of functioning."

Dave added: "We've had some incredible results. One lady hadn't been out of Wareham for three years, but she now drives herself out here and has a totally different life.

"I've worked in mental health since 1986 and this is probably the first time I have been involved in a project that has been such a success in such a short time. We're doing something that's positive and has a useful outcome, which is good for self-esteem."

He admits that the surroundings have played a big part in the project's success. "The setting and serenity out here, just being here is great," he said.

The project has even attracted attention from overseas, with Dave recently giving a presentation on it at a conference in Denmark.

Not only do those taking part enjoy the work, they also gain support from each other. "We find people end up talking about what medication they're on and get advice. If they're standing in the polytunnel potting out plants, they open up and talk about their problems," said Dave.

Pauline Bean, employment development officer from social services, has also noticed a difference in clients. "Their motivation has gone through the roof," she said.

Margaret Green Foundation treasurer and trustee Dennis Harding said: "We get the work done and it has been a great boon. We're delighted with it, seeing something we had envisaged for many years come to fruition."