West Malling charity Spadework is busy harvesting pumpkins for Halloween

Spadework works with adults with learning difficulties, (who are called trainees), to develop their independence and personal skills, through social interaction with the community. They were awarded grant’s totalling £6,300 from Kent Community Foundation to support the work they do with over one hundred adults from the local community.

Kent Community Foundation supported the pumpkin patch in which the trainees have been sewing pumpkin seeds, transferring seedlings to pots, planting them outside, watering and looking after them, culminating this month with the trainees busy harvesting and preparing the crop to sell for Halloween or using the pumpkins to make soup for the café.

The pumpkin project is a fantastic example of why Spadework chooses gardening as one of the skills they teach. The trainees are involved with the project from start to finish and have defined tasks throughout, but with unexpected changes and alterations, it allows the trainees opportunities to cope with and manage change and delivers a sense of accomplishment when they look at the successful harvest.

 

Kris Healey, General Manager, Spadework said “We are so grateful to Kent Community Foundation for the funding they awarded to Spadework, to support the work we do with adults with learning disabilities by allowing us to extend our vegetable garden and re-site the pumpkin patch.”

The pick your own pumpkin patch is open 19 – 31 October

A Garden Centre, Farm Shop and Cafe are open to the general public 7 days a week

Spadework, Teston Road, Offham, West Malling, Kent, ME19 5NA

01732 870002

info@spadework.org.uk