News Release: 23 July 2009

More than 150 local residents turned up at Thornes Park nursery on Sunday to celebrate the launch of a project called Growing for the Future.

Growing for the Future is a social enterprise project providing work for adults with learning difficulties to build their skills through growing and cultivating plants, flowers, fruit and vegetables.  The project has given Thornes Park nursery a new lease of life with the creation of kitchen and demonstration gardens.  Visitors to the event got to sample and buy produce grown on site, enjoy cook and eat demonstrations, view the beautiful gardens and hear all about the project.

The event started at noon with the Mayor of Wakefield, Cllr Heather Hudson, announcing the winner of the Growing for the Future logo competition.  The competition was open to members of the Day Opportunities Service run by Wakefield Council’s Family Services department for adults with learning disabilities.  They were asked to design a logo for the project which will be recreated somewhere in the gardens.  The winner was Denise Stead who received her prize from the Mayor of Wakefield.

Cllr Heather Hudson, Mayor of Wakefield, said:  “Meeting everyone involved and having a look at the work they have been doing gives inspiration to everyone”.

“Growing for the Future is a fantastic project which highlights the importance of working together and leading a healthy and active lifestyle while revitalising Thornes Nursery and providing opportunities for people with learning disabilities”

Growing for the Future is a partnership project with Wakefield Council, Groundwork Wakefield and NHS Wakefield District. Community groups, including the friends of the park group CHaT were also involved and helped to support the launch and ongoing work.

NHS Wakefield District’s Director of Public Health, Dr Andrew Furber said:  “This is a wonderful project in a beautiful setting that I am sure will go on to grow from strength to strength”.

Groundwork Wakefield’s Executive Director Ken Taylor, said: "Growing for the Future is a great example of partnership working that really does benefit the whole community.  Not only is it providing work and training opportunities but its bringing different parts of the community together, it’s getting people interested in gardening and growing their own fruit and vegetables with all the health benefits that brings.   It’s also helped to revitalise the nursery and put Thornes Park on the visitors map.  It’s great that so many people turned out to celebrate the launch and I hope residents continue to support this marvellous project”.

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