The Earl and Countess of Wessex were the first to dine in a new £350,000 café at Shaw Trust Horticulture Palmer Gardens in Trowbridge when they officially opened the project on Tuesday 29th June. The royal couple were given separate tours of all the areas of the flagship centre, by Project Manager James Vincent and the Trust's Managing Director Ian Charlesworth.
They were shown around the shop, nursery and gardens before officially unveiling a plaque, meeting staff and taking lunch in the new café, called Shaw's, which is now officially open for business.
"The Royal visit was a great success. Shaw's will add a whole new dimension to this centre," said James, who joined shortly after it opened 18 years ago.
The café is being managed by experienced and enthusiastic caterer Sarah Bickford and her team of eight staff including some people with disabilities. The café was funded through the National Lottery Community Fund and other grants and donations, building work carried out by local builders Rigg Construction and Project Managers the Bailey Partnership.
The centre is already one of the most successful Shaw Trust Social Enterprise projects in the country offering valuable opportunities for disabled people to work full or part time, carry out voluntary work or take training placements.
"We have helped hundreds of disabled and disadvantaged people here over the years. Through the support of the local community we have been able to keep growing and creating jobs and training opportunities for disabled people," James said.
Throughout Wiltshire, its home county, the Trust has expended rapidly over recent months. The Trust used to have a relatively small operation there, focusing on Workstep contracts to help people prepare for work with supported placements, running Palmer Gardens plus a string of high street retail outlets. Now the trust has a team of some 20 officers responsible for five major new contracts across the county with a variety of funding and partners.
The Trust was awarded two major five year contracts with Wiltshire County Council to run a Supported Employment Project across the county and take over a horticulture project from another provider which became Shaw Trust Horticulture, Salisbury.
Other significant contracts quickly followed; progress2work and a Job Centre+ contract; plus the development of a community garden in Tisbusy supported by New Opportunity Fund through the Sunshine Living Project.
Most recently, a ground breaking partnership between Wiltshire County Council and Shaw Trust has been formed to deliver the new WorkableWiltshire Advice and Guidance Service. This project, funded by the European Social Fund which will eventually involve more than 100 organisations, aims to act as a signposting service, guiding disabled people and carers through the bewildering array of provision to find the most appropriate service for them locally.
For further information call Josie Hoskins on 01905 795194.
