The project provides valuable work, training and therapy opportunities within real businesses which are carrying out commercial and retail operations on the site.
The plants
One of the departments making up this project is Hillcrest Growers. Established in 1990 it operates as a commercial plant nursery producing a wide range of plants for sale to the public and trade customers. The nursery is a work place where people are encouraged to become part of the horticultural team learning and developing transferable skills while producing top quality plants.
Other departments
Another department is called ‘Wood Works’, here they manufacture and sell a range of products for the commercial market and the private sector achieving high standards of workmanship in a well equipped workshop, including woodwork lathes to produce fine turned pieces. Individual wood products are finished to very high standards of workmanship.
Printing process
The New Leaf Print department team have taken a series of stunning images of plants to produce two different set of colourful greetings cards. The whole process is carried out on site by the team working in the print shop.
This new venture into direct selling their products provides greater opportunities for learning new skills and gaining experience in a wider range of tasks, including typesetting, design and technology and operating the print finishing machinery. As well as these new cards the team produces finished work for the NHS and commercial clients.
