Based in Woodhouse, South Yorkshire, the service provides specialist residential care for adults with learning disabilities.
Ferns, a 10-bed residential service which is part of The Fields, is the driving force behind the project.
The Cygnet Social Care staff were inspired to undertake the major garden transformation at the request of residents.
“Both our staff and the people we support are very outdoor-oriented. We wanted to create a nice outdoor area for everyone to relax and chill in the summer,” explained Lorraine Bostock, Deputy Home Manager at The Fields.
“Jan Mitcham, our Senior Support Worker, is a keen gardener so she’s brought her skills to work to ensure our supported individuals get to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air in a nice space.”
Taking a divide and conquer approach to this massive project, some individuals have been working to create an allotment where they’ve planted potatoes, tomatoes and peas.
Other individuals supported at The Fields have been planting flowers and creating homemade planters to add a burst of colour to the area.
One supported person has even taken on the huge task of painting the fence to keep the area looking clean and bright.
Summer Ashton, a Support Worker at the Cygnet Social Care service, has been a key part of the transformation.
She said: “It’s very important to us that our residents have been involved in the project as this is their home. Everyone has played their part. There is a real sense of achievement in watching what they’ve planted start to grow.
“We’ve had lots of suggestions on what to do with the food we produce. Residents have suggested making homemade chips, creating salads or enjoying the fruit with ice cream.”
