As you can see from my newly registered email address I am connected to an organisation called Our Barn. This is (loosely) a youth club for young people aged 16-25 with learning difficulties or other disability. We are very excited to be working in partnership with the National Trust at Osterley Park to start a gardening project. The idea is to impart horticulture, work, life and social skills to a group of young people, helping them move on from the structure of a formal education setting (mostly from special schools and colleges) and into the wide world. We are looking for keen gardeners to volunteer with us on Fridays (starting in March). We will be working under the guidance of Osterley's Head Gardener to carry out work in the Tudor kitchen garden (you may have seen it in the gardening magazines), alongside our trainee Horticultural Therapists and senior support (care) workers. This is going to be a fun and very special project. Our eventual aim is to provide gardening services to the local community, including local elderly and disabled people, creating actual jobs for a small number of learning disabled people. If you are interested in volunteering as a gardener we would love to hear from you. Contact me on karen@ourbarn.org.uk More information about Our Barn on our website: www.ourbarn.org.uk Karen Co-Founder and Manager, Our Barn Youth Club

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