Erlas Garden sustainability Project

Summary of project

The Erlas Garden Project promotes and protects the health of people with learning and mental health disabilities by providing meaningful daytime activities, education and training and work experience in horticulture. This is achieved through the maintenance of the Erlas Victorian Walled Garden.

The aim of this project is to put in place elements that will enable the widening of the scope of The Erlas Garden Project to make the project accessible to the local community, to enable increased numbers of beneficiaries to be involved and lead to sustainability through future income generation opportunities. Current staffing levels and site facilities will accommodate a minimum increase of 53% in numbers of beneficiaries or service users.

These aims will be achieved by the construction of a nature trail taking in the whole site and building a sensory garden and picnic area.

The introduction of hydroponics techniques to the polytunnel areas will increase training and work experience opportunities for beneficiaries.

The reinstatement of a further area of the garden walls and raised planting/work areas will enable increased usage of the facilities particularly for people with physical disabilities.

The project contributes to raising levels of employability and qualifications for its beneficiaries and increasing lifelong opportunities for learning and up-skilling.

The development of the project through the activities outlined will facilitate the long-term aim of the Erlas Garden Project to develop the whole site as an educational, cultural and recreational facility for the people of Wrexham. It will enable, as part of this aim, the promotion of healthy living to the local community, for example by assisting local schools to conduct ‘from seed to plate’ projects in the garden.