Glasgow project aiding disabled adults is 'Garden Centre of the Year'

Growing Together (GT), running within Fortune Works in Drumchapel, won Garden Centre of the Year at the Cultivation Street 2022 Awards.

The onsite facility, open five days a week, is partly run by service users, teaching them about nature, biodiversity and taking care of plants.

Staff were elated about the acknowledgement, which celebrates the work they are doing.

READ MORE: Colourful mural unveiled at Enable Glasgow's Garden Centre Open Day in Drumchapel

Jason Methven, group coordinator, said: "We are just a social enterprise, so it's great that we have won this.

"It’s customer-facing and gives everyone the opportunity to build on the knowledge that’s learned, transferable skills, caring and nurturing.

"Horticulture is just the vehicle of getting people out in the community."

Earlier this year, a colourful mural was revealed at the centre, which encompasses everything Fortune Works does to support people with learning disabilities.

Hundreds of residents turned up for the launch party, celebrating the organisation.

The garden centre is only a part of the work GT is doing locally, as they support 117 adults with learning difficulties.

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Having worked in this role for over a year, he explained: "We’ve got a private garden, so that gets our service users about in the community and playing a meaningful economic role.

“It includes them in the community, helps with discrimination, bullying and things to that effect.

“The second part is GrowChapel, it’s a green space, an allotment in Drumchapel, which is 250 square metres, we look after this common area with all the planting.

“It’s a big sensory garden with bamboos and lavender and we have over 40 potholders.

"The last part is tackling hate crime. We have a wee respect group.

“They are out in the community, in nurseries, primary and secondary schools, raising awareness of disability hate crime."

Working with local organisations, schools and individuals in the Drumchapel area, the organisation, above all, creates a welcoming, inclusive space.

The work they do supports a group of people who are often overlooked.

Mr Methven added: “I think it’s hugely important because it fulfils a need and gives people the opportunity to be a part of the community, to empower, train people, raise awareness of people with disabilities.

“It’s great for early work with disabilities in teenagers and allows us to be the best we can do and be the best in life.

“It’s really uplifting and empowering, you can see people gaining confidence, self-worth, becoming more independent and learning new skills.

“The passion that the guys have here is phenomenal and it’s great to watch.

“Also, to witness some of them reaching a certain level and then becoming mentors for other people who are new or maybe just came in to learn a bit about gardening is amazing.

“It’s really all-encompassing and sums up inclusion for me. It’s a whole 360."

READ MORE: Body found in Glasgow home as forensic officers spotted at scene

By working in nature and growing plants and vegetables, service users earn and enjoy themselves at the same time.

The coordinator said: “It touches base with everybody’s needs and it looks after their physical, social, emotional health, well-being and diet.

“They learn social skills as they go out and work in a team. Gardening is also very visual.

"With gardening, there is a clear start and finish.

"There is a goal, like making the place look good, so it brings satisfaction and it is a good visual prompt for a lot of the service users.

"They like to see the beginning and the end. We also learn about nature and climate."

Everything grown in the enterprise's own gardens is then consumed by those who work in the space.

Growing Together is also the North West heat winner in the Health and Wellbeing category as we look for the Glasgow Times' Community Champions, supported by Glasgow City Council, Wheatley Glasgow, Trades House Glasgow and Merck.

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be sharing stories from these inspiring organisations and on Thursday, December 8, the winners will be crowned.