Street Forge Workshops

Horticulture

The Street Forge Workshops Horticulture project has moved nearer the Workshops to a new site with fresh challenges. The project remains on the Thornham Estate, sited in an abandoned Kitchen Garden, which is not open to the public.

As the project has developed so have its aims. It does however still seek primarily to promote the use of gardening and horticulture for therapy and good health. Training is provided, assessed and certified in association with West Suffolk College. Courses are structured to meet the needs of the individual and are paced appropriately in a stress free environment. Full consultation as to the nature of the training is provided with those who attend and there is no pressure to undertake any formal training. It is hoped any training embarked upon would assist some future employment haing gained confidence and horticultural skills.

We have also become involved within the immediate community as volunteers on the Thornham Estate regularly helping the ranger with conservation tasks, which have included pollarding willows, building a bird hide and clearing the woodland rides to maintain butterfly walks.

Those attending are encouraged to participate fully in both the social and economic life of the community. As a group we aspire to refelct the needs of the community as we develop and hopefully a sense of well being and self esteem is promoted by the group making their own decisions and building upon their hopes and aspirations as individuals. Emphasis is put on team work and involvement and this is shown by an awareness of each others needs, which leads to a commitment to develop a project with something to offer all who attend whether they wish to garden or just enjoy being in the company of others with a shared passion for being outside in the countryside.

Links

• Tuckers Seeds (seed supplier)
• Thompson & Morgan (seed supplier)