Opening of CurnowGarden at Curnow School, Redruth.
CornwallCurnow School in Redruth began a Craft Workshop for their students and since it was first installed the students have been inspired to learn new skills and produced wood work items such as driftwood clocks for sale at school fetes and stalls in the town centre.
CurnowGarden will be home to their next eye catching business enterprise by growing vegetables and fruit to sell in small boxes, as well as making jams/chutney/pickles, etc. to be sold locally.
Staff member Neil Pellow-Firth outlined the work, “The area will teach valuable work skills again, but also students will be taught about farm to fork in terms of being able to grow food to eat a healthy diet, etc. Students will be able to take home their produce and also to cook within the school. This will be a whole school project, where all students across the upper school site will work cooperatively to manage the garden and enjoy the fruits of their hard work.”
Neil explained that recent work had showed that young adults and adults with severe, profound learning, emotional and social needs were disadvantaged in the work place and that less than 1% of adults with severe learning needs in Cornwall have any form of employment (national average is about 7%).The project gives new skills and confidence to those who join it.
Cornwall Wooden Spoon have a thriving relationship with Redruth RFC as a Partner Club, who raised the funds for the “CurnowGarden” project of £10k by two coastal walks. It was therefore appropriate that their Club’s Chairman, Treve Dunstan, should open the Garden with support from Cornwall Chairman, Alan Milliner, Treasurer David Pooley, Head Teacher Gina Briggs, Staff Member Neil Pellow-Firth, students and Governors.
A thought to ponder for Wooden Spoon supporters locally…………. For so little relative funding of £10k, so much joy, fun, enterprise and well being have been generated, to inspire and empower those who make use of the garden.
