Following months of restrictions, it is with great delight that we were able to recommence Lisieux Trust’s Gardening Club this month.

The Club – which convenes weekly on a Friday – is responsible for the ongoing transformation of the Head Office garden, which has seen the previously untouched land being turned into a fruitful allotment.

This year, the project will centre around converting an old pram shed into a beautiful, cosy pergola. It is expected to be enjoyed by residents, tenants, employees, and visitors during the summer sunshine.

The garden project began in June 2020, but as a result of the series of lockdown measures implemented across the country, activities were forced to a halt in October 2020.

Speaking of the decision to reinstate the club, Keith Latham, Groundsman and session leader, said: “It has been fantastic seeing the guys on a Friday again. The response has been positive overall, with everyone having fun, working together on the project.

“It’s great that the guys are outdoors again; it has brought back a sense of normality after spending a lot of time stuck at home.”

With some regular day activities and classes still yet to resume, the reinstatement of the Club has been met positively among our learning disabled and autistic community. For those who have been shielding for much of the year, the Garden Project has acted as a first move towards resuming an essence of routine and normality.

Updates on the progress of our Garden Project can be seen online, with regular photos being uploaded onto Lisieux Trust’s Facebook and Instagram pages.