A NEW green classroom and community shop has opened its doors at a horticultural therapy centre in Powick.
Link Nurseries, which is part of college group WCG, has seen work completed on two new spaces at the site on Hamilton Close.
The new offering is now being used by those supported by the centre and the renovations were funded by a grant through the Worcestershire Community Foundation.
Visitors to Link Nurseries will also be greeted by a new-look entrance to the horticultural therapy centre.
All sales from the shop will go towards supporting the core therapeutic activities. It will sell locally-produced ice cream, eggs, vegetables, confectionery, seeds, starter plants for grow-your-own vegetables and a range of greeting cards.
Meanwhile the new green classroom will give members of the Well Bean Gardening Club a purpose-built contained space to work on their horticultural skills.
The club is welcoming new members who think they would benefit from the therapeutic nature of horticultural activity. It provides a tranquil space for gardeners to cultivate their own vegetables and flowers, and develop new skills – all within a small, manageable 4ft by 4ft square plot.
Phil Woodhead, manager at Link Nurseries, said: “It is fantastic to finally be able to unveil our new shop and green classroom.
“The new facilities will help us to further expand our offering to support more people in the area and help more people to enjoy the benefits of horticultural therapy.
“Over the last year we have started to move into selling more products outside of our usual plant offer. This has proved a real success in the lockdown period and our new community shop will give us a platform to further expand that part of our service.
“The profits from the shop go straight back into supporting our therapeutic activities, so in many ways the shop will directly support the green classroom space.”
The recently launched ‘mini allotment club’ also offers slightly less structured sessions for people to have their own plot for growing vegetables and flowers and will be encouraging a supportive and friendly environment for members and plants to flourish.
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