The new inclusive garden at Trevarna was officially opened in April. Colonel Edward Bolitho OBE, Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall attended and 'cut' the ribbon to reveal a Welcome sign specifically designed and made for the garden entrance. He spoke of the need for more community projects such as this one and the value that inter-generational projects have for everyone involved and the communities as a whole. Speeches were also given by Jane Stoneham, our Sensory Trust Director and Douglas Webb, CEO of Cornwall Care our project partners.
Everyone involved in the project had received an invitation in the form of a small box containing an invite, an Acidanthera bulb, some compost and a small pot. People were asked to plant their bulb and to bring it along on the opening day to plant out in the garden.
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Trevarna Manager, Anne & young
people plant their bulbs |
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community members involved in the
project chat over bulb planting |
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Students from Penrice Community
College have been involved since
Year 1 |
Trevarna staff and residents, their relatives, students from Penrice Community College and The House Youth Club, contractors, gardeners, community members, other care professionals, management and Trustees from Cornwall Care and Sensory Trust all joined together for an afternoon of bulb planting, drinking tea/wine, eating cake/cream teas, wandering around the garden, chatting and listening to live music by young people from The House. Around 60 - 70 people in total attended and local press were there to capture the afternoon's celebration.
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| staff and residents enjoying their garden together |
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| Young people from The House entertain the guests |
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| community members gather to explore the garden |
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| staff and Ade the gardener enjoy some time off work |
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| everyone together to plant bulbs |
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| Smiles and conversations |
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| Engagement and communication |
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| rain doesn't stop the music |
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| Smiles from Jane, myself and Rose |
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| Cornwall Care management make a mean cup of tea! |
Even the dark grey clouds managed to hold in the rain until all the planting was done; at which point they couldn't hold back any longer and poured their contents onto the garden. We, fortunately, were indoors or under cover of a marquee at this point.
It was a wonderful afternoon! I think this was the day staff and residents at Trevarna finally began to feel a sense of ownership of the garden. You could feel the sense of pride in them and it was lovely to see so many residents outside, hobnobbing with Cornish gentry, chatting with the press and thoroughly enjoying the music provided by the youngsters. It really was a community event and the start of many more to come.
Wendy
Project Manager
