Talbot Village Trust has donated £225,000 to Chestnut Nursery towards the redevelopment of its shop and retail area.
Chestnut Nursery is a Poole-based project that uses horticulture to provide volunteers with work in a supportive and pressure-free environment, aiming to restore positive wellbeing to people with mental illness.
The charity has used the Trust’s donation to demolish the old buildings which have been replaced with a new single-storey shop. The new building has been fully-fitted with a renewable energy system and behind the shop, there is now a further 743 square metres of available retail space.
Since 2001, the nursery’s shop has sold 50,000 plants each year that have been grown and cared for by volunteers. Angela Mansbridge, Project Manager of Chestnut Nursery, explained: “We are now able to offer a more formal experience for customers and have expanded our stock, which will hopefully increase our income opportunities.
“The new space now also offers improved learning opportunities in merchandising, stock control and customer service for our volunteers. The new till system has also allowed them to interact more with customers which has helped their confidence to grow and has greatly improved their self-esteem.
‘’We are extremely grateful to the Talbot Village Trust for their support with this project. The new shop and working areas will make a huge difference to our current and future volunteers for many years to come.”
Russell Lucas-Rowe, Trustee of Talbot Village Trust, added: ‘’We are pleased to have provided our support to Chestnut Nursery and can already see the new opportunities made available for volunteers, due to the redevelopment.
“We recognise how important the shop is to its volunteers, as it encourages socialising and learning, and we are pleased that it has now become a safe and more comfortable environment to work in.”
Talbot Village Trust meets biannually and is accepting applications for funding from both previous and new applicants in the area before the Trustees meet in autumn of this year. Please go to www.talbotvillagetrust.org for more information.