Last year, one of our residential services, Haines House, kicked off an exciting sustainable project, along with the young people’s parents and the local community. After gaining access to a local allotment near the care home in Salford, our colleagues took the opportunity to combine good exercise with a fun learning activity and get the people we support involved in growing their own fruit and vegetables.
Andrew Speakman, Senior Residential Social Care Worker, shares:
“We’re very glad that all young people at Haines House got involved and really enjoyed the work that they did. They visited the plot regularly, helping digging and sowing seeds, as well as watering.”
Apart from bringing joy to our green-fingered residents, the gardening experience sparked interest in one of the young people’s parents, who devoted a lot of his spare time to the initiative. From looking after the green space regularly and keeping on top of weeding and watering to visiting local garden centres to stock up on seeds and equipment.
“This was a really positive experience for him and to get involved with the Haines House project and was really good for all concerned. He is now signing up as a volunteer,” says Andrew.
Commenting on the project’s success, he adds: “It was great to see the fruits of our labour! Fruit and veg were harvested and we had a lovely roast dinner using vegetables from the plot.”
In addition to learning about healthy lifestyles and living more sustainably, the project also provides social stimulation for our horticulture enthusiasts, as well as getting the young people outside to exercise and enjoy the power of nature.
“The project is a great example of how Haines House look for new experiences for our residents like working in partnership with parents and the local community whilst focusing on positive outcomes for the young people. It was great fun and we will be back again this year,” concludes Andrew.
