Ash Vale Produce, St Elizabeths

Funding from the European Social Fund and registering learners on the Essential Skills programme with the Learning Skills Council has enabled us to set up this project.

Ash Vale Produce is a Social Enterprise, an integral part of St. Elizabeth 's Centre. The Centre provides a residential home for over 100 people with Epilepsy and associated disorders. The Centre celebrated its 100 th anniversary in 2003.

Ash Vale Produce provides sheltered employment for residents of the Centre with a "Therapy through Horticulture" approach to the whole project.

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Residents work growing and planting seedlings into indoor and bedding plants. They also plant tubs and hanging baskets.

The extensive grounds are used to grow vegetables in raised beds so residents are able to do as much work as possible. Next year the growing beds will be approved as organic by the Soil Association.

In the orchards, it is planned to set up an "Adopt a Tree" sponsorship for more than 200 apple / pear / plum trees on site.

A bed of different varieties of willow has been planted so a range of products can be made by the residents with assistance from skilled instructors and volunteers who help with the project.

We welcome visitors and customers to St. Elizabeth 's to see the work we do and buy our produce and products.