2019-06-01 Country Homes & Interiors

(Joyce) #1
FromFarleFt
Staffmembers
tieupsweetpeas
readyforsale;
peopleareable
tocomehereto
heal,learnnew
skillsandmake
newfriends
BELOWJoWright
cutsflowersready
forarranginginto
posiesand
bouquets

Feature

and photographs

Nicola StockeN

‘I'vealwaysfoundplantstobe
a sourceofhealingandcomfort.
aftertakinga degreeinhorticulture
specialisinginsocialandtherapeutic
applications,i beganrunning
gardentrainingprojectsforadults
withlearningdifficultiesandmental
healthneeds.Whenpeoplework
withnature,theystrivetoovercome
theirchallenges.i loveseeingthem
makethatjourneythroughrecovery.
asa youngadult,I suffered
fromdepression.itgivesmean
insightintosimilarchallengesfacing
ourtrainees.katy,forexample,
arrivedin 2011 andbeganher
recoveryhere.Whenpeoplearein
a verydarkplace,weoffera lifeline
andtrytoshowthemthat,byjust
beinghere,themagicwillhappen.
Sheis nowoneofoursupervisors.
Iwasata friend’sweddingwhenI
realisedthattheworkexperience
providedbymyprojectslackedone
vitalingredient– a commercial
element.Bybecominganenterprise,
wecouldsow,grow,harvestand
selltheflowersfromstarttofinish.
organicBloomswasbornin2006.
Fromthefirstfewtentativeflower
beds,ourcutflowerfarmhas
grown into a nine-acre site. at our

baseinlatteridge,nearBristol,we
produceeverythingfrombucketsof
freshlycutstemstoluxuryhand-tied
bouquets,andwedoflowersfor
weddingsandevents,bothlocally
andthroughonlinesales.
anyprofitis reinvestedinthe
socialenterprise.thefundsallow
ustoprovidepermanentjobs
in-house,developthenurseryand
employspecialiststafftosupport
peoplewithdisabilities.our
traineeslearnalltheseasonaltasks
thatoccurina flowernurseryand
floristrybusiness,andwealsooffer
city& Guildsqualifications,which
areanimportantstepwhen
preparingforwork.Weaimtocreate
the“perfectworkplace”where
individualsarevalued,andareable
tocontributetoa reallyworthwhile
endeavour.Nothingmakesme
happierthanlookingacrossour
flowerfieldsandseeingpeople
smilingandbeingproductive.
Weworkina sustainableway,
caringforthewellbeingofthe
soil,thewildlifeandthepeople
whoworkhere.organicBlooms
providesa permanentbasewhere
traineescantendgrowingherbs
and cut flowers ranging from

anemonesandzinnias,to
ranunculus,dahlias,achilleas,
scabious,laceflowers,corncockles,
cosmosandsweetpeas.
Wehavea newcontracttosupply
boxesofflowerstemsforabel
&Cole.it’sa taskthatrequires
attentiontodetailandis wellsuited
topeoplewithautism.it meanswe
cannowemployanadditionalsix
people.theproject’ssuccessrelies
onmaintaininga balancebetween
makinga profitethically,andseeking
fundingfromthehealthandsocial
caresector.Since2010,oursales
haveincreasedfivefold.it’sonly
possiblebecauseofmyteam.
inparticular,fellowdirectorand
floristWendyPaulhasnotonlybuilt
theorganicBloomsbrand,butshe
alsowona goldmedalatthe 2018
chelseaFlowerShowaspartofthe
FlowersfromtheFarmexhibit.
organicBloomstrulydoestouch
people’slives.Sincewebegan,
atleast 200 workershavepassed
through.ourfarmis morethanthe
sumofitsparts– it’saboutgrowth
andcommunity.and,whenit comes
torealheroes,looknofurtherthan
ourbrave,inspiringworkforce.’
to learn more, go to organicblooms.co.uk

Growing plants is

therapy for the people

who work here



loCal hero
Free download pdf