Horticultural Training Centre, Welwyn Garden City

Saint John of God Horticultural Training Centre offers a supportive working environment and training to vulnerable people, including people with physical and learning disabilities, people with mental health problems, long-term unemployed, ex-offenders and people who have suffered brain injuries.

Introduction
The Centre forms a chief part of the Leisure, Education and Occupational Service provision by the Charity operating in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, and was originally the horticultural nursery owned by Welwyn Hatfield Council supplying bedding plants, shrubs and trees for Welwyn Hatfield district.  Contracts, still in place with Welwyn and Hatfield Council, allow the work of the students to be seen throughout the community, with the Centre being the main supplier of bedding plants for the parks and gardens in the area. In addition, an extensive range of plants including herbaceous shrubs, bedding plants, hanging baskets and tubs are grown at the project for sales in the nursery shop.  The shop is open weekdays and at weekends from April to July and in December, on Saturdays in October.  The project also has a coffee shop.  Future developments include a children's area, and wildlife and conservation areas. 

 

The training offered is wide ranging and includes real work experience in the following:

All areas of horticulture
Sales and retail - Horticultural Cafe
Money handling
Administration
Stock control
Health and safety
Basic social and life skills
Soft  landscaping skills
Manual handling skills
Back to work skills

In September 1997, the Community Fund awarded the Charity a grant of £125,931 as capital funding to develop the centre. The key developments were to ensure that the centre is accessible to people with disabilities, develop a sensory garden for those with limited sight and the creation of a specialist training unit.

Our Aims
To deliver training and support in a safe and enjoyable environment of high standards and where people acessing the service can derive a high level of satisfaction from their work and training.

To provide opportunities for people to aquire the independent living and social skills to enable them to play as active a part in the local community in which they live as they wish.

To provide a high quality service based on the needs and wishes of each individual with particular emphasis on promoting independence and encouraging choice.

To enable each person using the service to achieve as high a level of personal fulfilment as possible.

To enable and support each person using the service to have an active part in the planning and participation of developing the project.

Contact Us
Head of Strategy and Operations - Southern Region
Saint John of God Hospitaller Services
Barry House
69-71 High Street
Potters Bar
Hertfordshire
EN6 5AS
Tel: 01707 671080
Fax: 01707 671081
Email: southernadmin@sjog.org.uk

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