An introduction to our learning disability centre’s four multi-award-winning allotments, providing gardening for adults with learning disabilities
As an extension of our learning disability centre, we run four award-winning allotment plots which provide easy and engaging sessions in gardening for adults with learning disabilities. We’re proud to say our trainees thoroughly enjoy helping to build, nurture, and GROW our four allotment plots on a daily basis.
Our plots – dedicated to flowers, vegetables, fruit, and bee hives with honey cultivation – provide an excellent natural environment for our trainees to learn all about gardening, GROWing produce, taking care of local wildlife, and enjoying the great outdoors.
A NEW purpose-built outdoor classroom
that serves as an alternative learning space for those in need of fresh air, a change of scenery, or a dose of nature. What’s more, our outdoor classroom remains open whatever the weather, meaning our learning environments are as dynamic as the learning needs of our trainees.
Outdoor learning is therapeutic to the mind, body, and soul, and it brings us joy that we can facilitate these experiences for our trainees every day of the year.
GROW with CASE and the environment
Being kind to the environment is important to us at GROW, and our trainees adore learning ways to protect wildlife, upcycle, nurture plants and produce, and much more. Kindness and nurture are qualities that our trainees already possess, but using them daily at GROW allows for contribution to yet another life skill – caring for themselves and others.
Our four allotments are self-efficient, which allows for the awareness of eco-friendly activity and lowering our `footprint` on the planet via recycling, reusing, being resourceful, etc. For example, we’ve got a compost toilet (which transforms human waste into plant food!), solar panels on the roof of our outdoor classroom, and we collect rainwater from the butts to water the plants
GROW with CASE and supporting independent living activities
Our GROW plots are an excellent resource to the rest of our learning disability centre, and provide a consistent flow of fresh produce to make jams, chutneys, pickles, and soups – along with Christmas gifts, decorations, and pure spun honey.
Learn more about our Independent Living Suite where we cook, bake, and create!
GROW with CASE and health & wellbeing
Keeping active and getting a moderate amount of exercise is another important factor for our trainees. Those endorphins make all of the difference, especially when you are breathing in the fresh aromas that an allotment space yields. We see an increase in productivity after our trainees have spent time at GROW – whether they are planting seeds or simply creating a piece of art in the outdoor classroom. Mental and emotional health matters just as much as physical health, and we bear this in mind while planning our sessions at CASE
Meet our GROW group leaders
GROW simply wouldn’t be GROW without the support of our group leaders – Sally and Brenda.
Sally Myers
Grow Support Trainer
Brenda Burgess
Grow Support Trainer
Our sponsorship programme
Did you know that we offer a sponsorship programme for the raised beds in our allotment spaces? The programme is ideal for local businesses wishing to boost corporate responsibility activity, building a strong relationship with us as a charitable organisation in the process.
The benefits of joining our GROW sponsorship programme include:
- Sponsorship of your own raised fruit, vegetable, or flower bed;
- Any resources needed to promote Corporate Social Responsibility (charity-related PR for the company);
- Fresh, seasonal produce direct from the Grow allotment space – including chilis, rhubarb, honey, and more;
- Access to GROW with CASE, should the company wish to visit or volunteer;
- Access to cooking demonstrations conducted by our Trainees back at the Independent Living Suite, another highly-valued area of CASE’s Training Centre.
Call 01482 320200 for further information.
