We provide opportunities for people with learning disabilities through social and therapeutic activities, training and practical work experience in Horticulture.
Our objectives
To help and support our clients, who are people with learning disabilities. We help them to grow vegetables, flowers and herbs in their own plots and enjoy the benefits of working in our market garden which has a conservation area, greenhouse and polytunnels. This provides a real sense of enjoyment and the freedom that comes from working in an environment that brings about positive changes and benefits.
Our objectives are set out in our constitution which is registered with the Charity Commission Number 1097671 and was formally established in 2003.
What we do
We provide the marketing, raw materials, tools, sheds, greenhouses at the market garden and manage the financial matters of the CIO. We also provide volunteers to support the events and transport the plants from our market garden to the Acorn Community Centre.
We support the adults with the more demanding gardening and conservation works, pathway clearances, install sheds and growing beds, build polytunnels, create areas for the adults to work and relax and many many more valuable tasks.
Gardening, belonging and social inclusion
Gardening can improve health and wellbeing through a sense of belonging and social inclusion and so use research as part of our Charitable Objectives.
Diamant, Emna & Waterhouse, Andrew. (2010). Gardening and Belonging: Reflections on How Social and TherapeuticHorticulture May Facilitate Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion. The British Journal of Occupational Therapy.