Friends of Bromley Town Parks & Gardens

Promoting Bromley’s green centre.

Overview:

The Bromley Field Studies Centre has been awarded a grant from the Big Lottery Reaching Communities Fund.  Match funding comes from Environment Services and Adult and Community Services.

The overall aim of this 3-year project is to improve the life chances of people with learning disabilities through free accredited horticultural training that leads to increased independence and job opportunities.

The project will be managed from The Bromley Field Studies Centre, BR5 and will take place in the Civic Centre grounds, BR1 located within the London Borough of Bromley.

Up to 40 people with learning disabilities will be trained and supervised by 1 horticultural team leader and 1 assistant team leader.  Those participants requiring one-to-one support will receive this from their existing support staff.  Subjects taught will include soil preparation, growing mediums, plant and pond maintenance, propagation, plants in design, pruning, mowing, edging, plant identification, safe working, pests and diseases, sustainability, biodiversity, impact of horticulture on the environment.  They will be embedded with basic skills in literacy and numeracy.  20 people with learning disabilities will participate over the course of the first 18 months and 20 over the second.  The 20 participants will be split into 2 groups of 10, each working 2 days per week at the Civic Centre and 1 day per week undertaking classroom-based learning at The Bromley Field Studies Centre working towards City and Guilds NPTC Entry Level 2/3 qualifications in horticulture.  These 'Thyme Out' participants will benefit from a reduction in social exclusion and an increase in well-being and independent living.

The project includes a number of community activities such as:

staff lunchtime ‘have a go sessions’, community bulb planting days, how to compost and recycling, application to Green Flag and the National Garden Scheme garden open days.

Beneficiaries:

All participants will have learning disabilities and associated problems including some physical disabilities.  Thyme Out will enable them to engage in daily life within their own community and to exercise their rights and responsibilities as members of that community.  It will provide them with access to accredited training, social networking, the outdoor environment, the local community and a healthy lifestyle.

Through actively participating in making the project happen, and through visiting the grounds, the local community will embrace inclusivity and improve its understand of barriers to inclusion; learning how community projects such as 'Thyme Out' can help to overcome these barriers.

The local authority needs to expand its programme of daytime activities for people with learning disabilities and is keen to encourage participants to engage with activities that lead to qualifications and inclusion.  The Authority will work in close partnership with participants to make positive improvements to the parks, which the local community and visitors can access more easily and enjoy.

'Thyme Out' will further the London Borough of Bromley's aim to support inclusion and to deliver an innovative and inclusive community project.  It will also raise awareness of how people who have high support needs can engage and contribute to mainstream activities.

To find out more about this project telephone Louisa Allen  or Euan Craig on 020 8302 7496.

 

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Thyme Out project

Our involvement:

Our Friends group  are  very pleased to be working with council staff and others on this worthwhile project. This fits in with our aim to promote access to our town centre parks for all—especially those who presently find this difficult.  This project also gives us the opportunity to make this public space more widely known to the people of the borough.