Become a Member
How to join us
2
We would ask you to fill out a form which gives us a bit more information about you and your needs.
If you need any help completing this form just let us know.
3
We would then invite you for a free taster day where you can come and spend the day with us. This gives you an idea of what we do and we can find out a bit more about you and your needs and abilities.
A Typical Day
The garden is open at 9am, and we finish at 3pm, our day is split into 3 session starting at 10am with breaks and social time in-between. We ask that you don't arrive to the garden before 9am and are collected promptly at 3pm.
Maintaining the garden
Wildlife walks
Cooking a meal
Harvesting fruit & veg
Baking for the tearoom
Bird watching
Preparing produce for the shop
Woodland work
Mowing the lawns
Picking & arranging flowers
Working in the tearoom
Watering plants
The Support we provide
As an organisation, we want to be able to offer Day Opportunities to a wide range of individuals with varying abilities and needs. We want everyone’s day to be purposeful and meaningful and enable each of our Gardeners to participate fully in what we have to offer.
We will always work towards enabling each individual to be as independent as possible and not support them more than they need.
We have 3 support levels, the level of support that our Gardeners receive will be based on our assessment during a taster day and subsequent 4 week initial placement.
Over time, support needs may change, if we feel that the support level needs to change, we discuss this with individuals, their parents/ carers or the local authority who commission the service.
-
The individual demonstrates a high level of independence and is able to work effectively within a small group, completing tasks with minimal guidance.
-
They are capable of undertaking tasks from start to completion with little or no direct supervision, taking responsibility for their own work and time management.
-
Occasional prompting may be required to refine techniques or identify the most effective ways of working, supporting the development of good workplace practice.
-
The individual consistently wears appropriate work clothing, follows health and safety expectations, and works safely and responsibly.
-
They may show interest in exploring outward-facing projects and pathways that support progression into employment or volunteering, with the aim of developing greater independence and personal responsibility.
Low Support
-
This level of support represents the most common and general provision offered under our social and therapeutic model and is typically the first point of referral. Individuals are supported to work within small to medium-sized groups of approximately 4–8 people, depending on the task and environment.
-
The individual requires consistent verbal prompting, physical support where appropriate, and continuous supervision to safely engage in activities. Support is provided throughout the task, from start to completion, with staff guiding each stage and modelling appropriate and effective ways of working.
-
Ongoing supervision is necessary to ensure health and safety, including support to wear suitable work clothing and to work safely within the environment. The individual may not yet be able to identify risks or maintain safe working practices without direct support.
-
Frequent prompting is required to help the individual remain engaged, focused, and motivated in order to achieve a task outcome.
-
This level of support forms the foundation for skill development. With time, experience, and the development of confidence and independence, individuals may progress into a lower-support setting, working with increased autonomy and responsibility.
Medium Support
-
This level of support is intended for individuals who require constant supervision and high levels of assistance across most areas. This may include support with personal care and/or continuous supervision for medical or safety reasons.
-
Where an individual requires one-to-one (1:1) support, this must be provided by the individual or their referrer. The service is unable to supply dedicated 1:1 support staff, and participation is dependent on the presence of a suitable support worker to accompany and support the individual at all times.
-
The individual requires full support to undertake tasks from start to completion, including continuous prompting and hands-on guidance to follow safe and appropriate ways of working.
-
Support is required to wear appropriate work clothing, with possible assistance needed to put clothing on correctly. The individual is unable to work safely without direct supervision.
-
Participation in group activities is only possible with dedicated 1:1 support. The individual may experience difficulty working alongside others and may display behaviour that can be challenging in certain situations, requiring skilled and consistent support to ensure safety and positive engagement.