The Fircroft Trust will be opening a new gardening project by the end of 2008. This will be an exciting new development in the history of the charity.
To provide a variety of different gardening and horticultural opportunities tailored to meet the needs of those with mental health problems, learning difficulties and other experiencing social exclusion, though not exclusively.These opportunities will include therapeutic, training and certification activities designed to support service users in skills development, interests and improve their quality of life.
To encourage service users and ex-service users in the development of the project.
Set up aims:
- Refurbish garage into bathroom/kitchenette/office workshop
- Recruit Kingston co-op coordinator
- Recruit Head Gardener
- Plan and implement transition
Short Term Aims ( 1 year):
To set up the project to provide
- Gardening activities at Fircroft Centre
- Take on contract gardening
- Planting and selling plants on the premises
Medium Term Aims:
To sustain the first aims and
- Develop educational activities to provide certificated training in gardening to Level 1 and later Level 2
- Training in customer services Level 1
- Developing links with Colleges and other organisations
- Seeking opportunities to sell plants
- Develop further gardening contracts
Long Term Aims:
To sustain and develop the project and
- To provide development opportunities for service users in team leadership
- To work closely with Work Start, and other agencies, to support service users, where applicable, to integrate into mainstream employment
- To become a self-funding sustainable project (after 5 years)