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A group of gardeners with learning disabilities are celebrating after showing off their pioneering garden to tens of thousands of people at the world’s largest flower show. The gardeners from Furzey Gardens in Minstead brought their garden ‘Reflective waters of inclusivity’ to RHS Hampton Court Flower show last week after receiving huge support from the public. After issuing a call for support in March, the gardening team received over £10,000 through donations and a raffle, with the Royal Horticultural Society contributing £1,000. The funds allowed the team to construct their garden and travel from Hampshire to RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival each day in the week before the show to build the garden. Many of the gardeners have spent a lifetime struggling against discrimination and lacking in the opportunities that many other people enjoy. The garden allowed them to demonstrate the horticultural skills they have built over many years working at Furzey Gardens, a social enterprise run by local charity Minstead Trust. The gardens have been supporting people with learning disabilities for nearly 40 years, where they maintain the gardens and raise plants for sale in the nursery. The funds raised have assisted with significant materials, transport and support staff costs required to undertake this ambitious garden build. Plant growing and buying costs was also supported by these donations. The show garden aimed to help change perceptions in society towards people with learning disabilities. Many still feel socially left out and face stigma and discrimination in their everyday lives (Scior & Werner, 2015). Gardening can play a role in giving people purpose in their life and a chance to show what they can achieve. The garden was inspired by a small waterfall area next to Furzey’s popular lake area and features plants for which the woodland garden is renowned for such as an acer Palmatum hosta’s and salvia’s. Local artist Shaun Stevens created an artist’s impression of the garden, which is named ‘Reflective waters of inclusivity’. Special personal touches from the Minstead Trust community were added, including pebbles made from reclaimed clay dug out from beneath a fallen oak tree on Minstead Trusts’ grounds. These pebbles were not just decorative; they carried the initials of the people supported by Minstead Trust, as well as staff and volunteers. Additionally, bringing character to the garden were two fairy doors, some felt butterflies and frogs made by people with learning disabilities. Supported gardener Simon said ‘I told people about the plants. I love a garden, I think the garden is pretty.’ Supported gardener Rhianne said ‘I enjoyed telling everyone about the garden and the plants from Furzey. Seeing what people think of it and telling people what we do and what we like doing. I think that the garden is beautiful.’ John Davies, Minstead Trust senior instructor, said: ‘This was a really exciting challenge the guys took on, a chance for them to show what they can do if given opportunities that are usually not available to them. ‘Many of them have been through really hard times in their lives and they have loved standing at the show and feeling really proud of what they have achieved. I hope people will continue to support us so that we can change some minds around what people with learning disabilities can do if given a chance.’ Find out more about the garden at minsteadtrust.org.uk/hampton About Furzey Gardens Furzey Gardens is an informal woodland garden near Lyndhurst, which is open to the public. It is a social enterprise of Minstead Trust, providing training and work experience in aninspirational setting where people with learning disabilities can learn new skills in horticulture and hospitality. About Minstead Trust Minstead Trust, established in 1986, is a charitable organisation whose aims are to support people with learning disabilities to achieve greater independence, lead fulfilled lives and live as full citizens in society.Minstead Trust currently supports over 320 people in in Hampshire , Portsmouth and Dorset. We offer people the opportunity to develop skills for work, skills for life and improve their health and wellbeing. Work-based skills: training in practical skills in a range of work settings, including the expectations of a workplace such as time management, health and safety and customer service. Health and well-being: physical and creative activities to promote health and leisure skills. Life skills: practical training in the skills of everyday living, both in the home and out in the community. Training and support is provided through day opportunities, support for people living in their own tenancies or our residential care home, respite short breaks and community pay-as-you-go groups.

Celia Hodson, the visionary founder of Hey Girls CIC and the PickupMyPeriod App, has been awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her remarkable contributions to promoting period dignity and raising awareness of free period products in Scotland. This prestigious honour was announced as part of the King’s Birthday Honours List in June 2024, recognising Celia’s tireless dedication to social enterprise and charitable initiatives. Celia Hodson has been a pioneering force in the movement for period dignity. Hey Girls CIC, established under her leadership, has become a beacon for tackling period poverty and promoting menstrual health education. The organisation’s innovative “buy one, donate one” model has ensured that for every product sold, another is donated to someone in need, positively impacting countless lives across the UK. Additionally, Hodson’s brainchild, the My Period App, has revolutionised access to free period products. The app helps users locate nearby sources of free menstrual products, thus removing barriers for those who struggle to afford these essential items. Celia’s achievements extend beyond her entrepreneurial ventures. She was named the National Great British Entrepreneur of the Year and has received numerous leadership awards for her relentless commitment to social justice and community well-being. Her work has not only addressed an often-overlooked issue but has also inspired a broader conversation about period dignity and gender equality in the workplace. Upon receiving news of her OBE, Celia Hodson expressed her heartfelt gratitude: "I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this recognition. This award is a testament to the incredible support and collaboration from my team at Hey Girls, our Community Partners and our customers, and the users and advocates of the My Period app. Together, we are making strides toward a world where period poverty is a thing of the past, and menstrual health is a fundamental right for all." The OBE is a fitting acknowledgment of Celia’s unwavering dedication and innovative approach to promoting period dignity and raising awareness of free period products. Her work continues to pave the way for future generations, ensuring that period products are accessible to everyone, and sparking vital conversations about menstrual equity. For media inquiries, please contact: Harriet Brooks, Marketing Manager harriet@heygirls.co.uk About Hey Girls CIC Hey Girls CIC is a Scottish social enterprise dedicated to eliminating period poverty in the UK. Through their unique “buy one, donate one” model, Hey Girls provided 40 million sustainable period products and menstrual health education to those in need. About My Period App My Period is Charity with a groundbreaking app designed to help users locate free period products in their vicinity. The PickupMyPeriod app aims to ensure that everyone has access to essential menstrual products across the UK, regardless of their financial situation.

Diverse Voices are tackling violence against women and girls across London with support from The Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) and The Evening Standard Dispossessed Fund (ESDF) We're thrilled to be launching our creative arts-based learning programmes, that inspire young people to make healthy choices whilst educating them around harmful sexual behaviour (HSB), healthy relationships, consent and online safety. Over the next two years we'll be working with schools and alternative provisions across Waltham Forest, Hackney, Redbridge, and Islington, thanks to grants administered by The London Community Foundation (LCF). “We are deeply grateful for the backing from MOPAC, ESDF, and LCF. Their support enables us to bring our impactful programmes to young people in under-resourced areas, as we continue to prioritise those at most risk of the issues we address.” - Alex Williams, Co-Founder / Managing Director. Our work with Year 9 and 10 students will engage them through a combination of active learning and drama-based facilitation, incorporating online resources from our bespoke e-learning platform. This platform features educational, interactive video content co-created with our beneficiaries, ensuring that the material is relevant and engaging. In 2023, our preventative arts-based learning programmes proved to be highly effective, with an 80% increase across beneficiary understanding, awareness, and preparedness to act on the topics covered. “We can’t wait to get to work and make a difference in the lives of young people across these boroughs. Our approach not only educates but empowers students to make informed decisions about their relationships and safety.” - Dwayne Gumbs, Founder / Artistic Director. For more information about Diverse Voices and our programmes, please visit www.diversevoices.co.uk or contact Dwayne Gumbs at dwayne@diversevoices.co.uk. 

Our social enterprise member Hey Girls is partnering with WaterAid and Glastonbury Festival to raise awareness of period dignity at this year’s event. The collaboration will see free Hey Girls period products being made available at ‘period-proud stations’ around Worthy Farm, as well as educating festival-goers about ending period poverty. WaterAid will also provide new private spaces with sinks, warm water and soap to clean reusable period products. Glastonbury’s sanitation manager Jane Healy explained: "Around 17,000 people will have their period at the Festival, but that shouldn’t hold anyone back from having a great week. We hope the new period-proud spaces and the free period products on offer will help people manage their period with dignity and let them continue to have a bloody good time." Hey Girls co-founder and director Kate Smith said: "We are so excited to be working with Glastonbury Festival and WaterAid to help put a stop to period worries and stigma while at the event. Not only will the spaces and sustainable products support those at the event itself, but the partnership will also support people experiencing period poverty around the UK through our 'buy one give one' scheme. We believe access to period products and education is a human right, not a privilege - and we are aiming to bring an end to period poverty in the UK through conversation, collaboration and a lot of hard work." Jennie York from WaterAid added: "Globally, more than 500 million people don’t have the resources they need to manage their period. This doesn’t only impact their dignity, it can have far-reaching impacts throughout their lives, missing out on vital opportunities like going to school and earning a living. WaterAid is calling on governments to ensure access to period-friendly toilets and clean water, along with menstrual health information and support to manage periods hygienically and with dignity."

Smile Together is thrilled to have won Practice of the Year in the prestigious national Probe Dental Awards 2024 and see Natalie Peary crowned Dental Therapist of the Year. The winners and finalists were announced in a live-streamed presentation at midday on Thursday 23 May in a broadcast hosted by BBC weather presenter and meteorologist Sarah Keith-Lucas. Head of Marketing and Communications at Smile Together, Tracy Wilson, who compiled and submitted the awards entries, said: “We’d gathered around a screen in a dental surgery at Truro Health Park to hear the outcome of the awards, with cake at the ready whether we were successful or not. When Sarah announced that we’d won Practice of the Year we were all somewhat stunned as this is such a coveted national award to win. Then when she announced Natalie as Therapist of the Year, the excitement in that room was wonderful – never has chocolate cake tasted so good!   We’re so proud of the whole Smile Together team for the difference they make every day to our patients and across our communities. This awards recognition is so justly deserved”. Smile Together is an employee-owned dental social enterprise and certified B Corporation with a mission of tackling oral health inequality for healthier happier communities. Its dedicated Outreach Team (which was also shortlisted in the awards) frequently takes a mobile dental unit into the heart of local communities to make even more of a difference to those who need us most. As Outreach Dental Therapist, Natalie makes a difference within the traditional surgery environment, providing treatment to paediatric patients and special care adults who have been referred into the service, and out in the community. Enthusiastic and passionate about prevention, education and reaching out to those patients who need care most, she is central to creating and developing outreach projects to improve dental access for vulnerable groups, families and individuals, helping Smile Together build partnerships to enhance patient care and pathways. Tracy continues: “The genuine pride in Natalie being crowned Therapist of the Year has been so lovely to see. She has such an inherent ability and desire to make people smile so not only do our patients love visiting her but everyone at Smile Together enjoys working with and alongside Natalie. She’s always so willing to go that extra mile, from supporting our clinical recruitment endeavours to featuring in promotional films and media interviews. We can’t think of anyone more deserving of this award”.  As winners of The Probe Dental Awards 2024, Natalie and three other colleagues will now join judges and sponsors at The Ivy in London on Friday 5th July 2024 to celebrate our victory in style and be presented with trophies and certificates in person from The Probe team. Smile Together is no stranger to The Probe Dental Awards, having been shortlisted in three categories in 2022 for Practice of the Year, Young Dentist of the Year and Dental Nurse of the Year, with Sarah Andrews highly commended in a strong and competitive field. Katie Rowe was crowned Dental Nurse of the Year in 2021 and their Smiles at Sea project won the 2019 Award for ‘Best Outreach or Charity Initiative’.  About Smile Together Dental CIC One of the South West’s largest NHS referral and emergency dental care providers also delivering NHS care and competitively priced private dentistry. A certified B Corporation and award-winning Employee-Owned Community Interest Company reinvesting profits back into patient facilities, our community and environment – over £7m to date! Our oral health campaign sees us engaging with children and adults in areas of high decay across Cornish communities and we visit harboursides with our Smiles at Sea mobile unit, bringing dental treatment to coastal communities. Our teams frequently reach further into their communities, partnering with local charities and doing what they can to tackle oral health inequality and improve oral health outcomes. Our investment into accessible patient facilities is transforming dentistry provision in the county for patients who need us most. We’re a committed and friendly values-based team that puts our people, our patients, our community and increasingly our planet first. smiletogether.co.uk

Nickel Support, a Community Interest Company from Sutton, which works with adults with learning disabilities and/or autism, was celebrated as best ‘Heart of Gold’ business at this year’s Small Awards for their work within their community with their trainees, and for the social impact they are having beyond their community, through their retail project Interestingly Different. Interestingly Different is a gift and homeware shop and online retailer selling products from 33 social enterprises all of whom support adults with learning disabilities or people facing other life challenges. Nickel Support won the award which recognises the small businesses that contribute a bit extra to their local community. Working with other small businesses, local charities, schools, local councils or their local residents they have achieved great things. Owners Nick Walsh and Elena Nicola, who founded Nickel Support in 2012, were awarded at a sparkling celebration event in central London, hosted by presenter, writer, actor and comedian, Sue Perkins. Nick and Elena set up Nickel Support after they had become disillusioned by the learning disability sector as a whole. They felt that people with learning disabilities were being short changed by some of the more traditional services and that they deserved more. They set up Nickel Support with the goal of helping people with learning disabilities to lead purposeful and fulfilled lives. They focus on three  main areas: relationships, health and employment throughout all of the sessions and enterprises which they run. Since 2012 the company has gone from strength to strength and now works with over 120 trainees across two hubs - one in Cheam and one in Carshalton. In January 2023 they set up a retail branch of Nickel Support called Interestingly Different, with the goal of providing a platform for the trainees to sell the products made in the enterprise sessions, including upcycled furniture, a popular range of jams and chutneys and jesmonite homeware pieces. The other main goal was to provide training and paid employment opportunities through the Interestingly Different shop. Not satisfied with just supporting the Nickel Support trainees, Nick and Elena took it one step further, and decided to use Interestingly Different to support other social enterprises working with marginalised groups, which in turn offers shoppers a place where they can shop in a conscious and purposeful way. Interestingly Different now has five trainees in paid employment and are hoping to increase that number in the near future. Elena Nicola said, “We are absolutely delighted and honoured to have received this award. We are so grateful to have been recognised for the hard work that we are doing both within the learning disability world, but also further afield in our work with other social enterprises. We hope to continue to break down the barriers for our trainees and to see real and meaningful change in the perception of what people with learning disabilities are able to achieve.” In its eighth year, The Small Awards is a nationwide search for the smallest and greatest firms in the UK, across all sectors. It is organised annually by Small Business Britain, which champions, inspires and accelerates the nation’s 5.5 million small firms. Ninety small businesses were shortlisted across 11 Small Award categories, from ‘digital stars’, to ‘high street heroes’ and mission-driven businesses with a ‘heart of gold’. Nickel Support won the award alongside 10 other winning small firms from across the UK. “Congratulations to Nickel Support, who impressed our team and judges with their story of drive and innovation, and dedication to their community,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, Founder of Small Business Britain and the Small Awards. “We are delighted to have celebrated with them at such a beautiful event that shines a much-needed light on so many extraordinary entrepreneurs, like Nick and Elena, and their fabulous businesses.”  Minister for Small Business Kevin Hollinrake MP, who attended The Small Awards and presented the Small Business of the Year Award said: “The Small Awards are a reminder of the innovation and tenacity that makes the UK’s small businesses the best in the world. I congratulate this year’s winners on their well-deserved awards and wish them every success for the future.”  The Small Awards are judged by a panel of leading enterprise experts. Guests at the event were treated to a dazzling display of entertainment by Europe’s largest gay male choir, the London Gay Men’s Chorus, along with fine food and drink by independent caterers. To find out more about the winners visit https://thesmallawards.uk/index.aspx#theAwards. About Nickel Support and Interestingly Different Nickel Support is a pioneering, award winning, not-for-profit community interest company set up in 2012, which works with over 120 adults with learning disabilities and/or autism. Nickel Support is based in Sutton and now works across their two branches in Carshalton and Cheam. Nickel Support was a finalist in the 2022 National SME Business Awards as well as in the 2022 Social Enterprise Awards; and was shortlisted for the 2023 Small Awards. Nickel Support was one of Natwest’s Pioneers Post Top 100 Social Enterprises in 2023. Interestingly Different is part of their parent organisation Nickel Support. Interestingly Different sources and sells a wide range of products from over 33 other UK based social enterprises, all of whom are working with adults with disabilities or facing life challenges. Interestingly Different is open Monday - Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and their website, not only sells their full product range, but also offers a fantastic insight to the work that they do. They also work with corporate clients providing monthly subscriptions of office supplies such as tea and coffee, alongside making gift hampers for staff and clients .  Each and every purchase helps towards the greater goal of an inclusive society where adults with disabilities are able to meet their potential and live a purposeful and fulfilled life. Interestingly Different was one of the Small Biz Saturday’s top 100 small businesses in the UK in 2023, and has since also been named as one of Theo Paphitis’s Small Business Sunday Winners.

The Glasshouse is a social enterprise that offers second chances to women prisoners as they reach the end of their sentence, giving them horticultural training and employment as part of its mission to reduce reoffering and support rehabilitation for people leaving prison. Women who have benefitted from the training at HMP East Sutton Park in Kent recreated the greenhouse there for an indoor garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The exhibit features house plants nurtured by women in prison and items representing their dreams and hopes. Glasshouse's work is based around the proven physical and emotional benefits that being close to nature provides. Plants in the workspace are proven to boost people's productivity, concentration and creativity, as well as cleaning toxins from the air and increasing oxygen levels. Rhi, a former prisoner who works with the Glasshouse, said it gave her "a purpose" and that she cried when she found out it was headed to the flower show. She said: "Often we are invisible or even hidden so for us to be embraced and have the opportunity... I just couldn't believe it."

This month marks a significant milestone for Tarem Services Limited as we celebrate 25 years of pioneering efforts as a social enterprise. Founded in 1999 with crucial initial support from The Prince's Trust, we have dedicated ourselves to tackling in-work poverty and promoting sustainable practices. Through our high quality cleaning and labour services, we lead in driving social value, demonstrating the power of integrating business excellence with profound social responsibility. Celebratory Highlights: A Commitment to Social and Environmental Progress The anniversary celebrations will spotlight Tarem Services' unwavering commitment to employee welfare and its influential role in enhancing community and environmental sustainability. Key events include: Youth Empowerment Initiative: The 'Empowering Young People Through Enterprise' event, scheduled for Tuesday, 14 May, in collaboration with The Prince’s Trust and the Young Lewisham Project, aims to spark an entrepreneurial spirit in young individuals and steer them towards sustainable futures. We are honoured to have the support of the Mayor of Lewisham, Brenda Dacres. Volunteer Initiatives: Employees from Tarem Services and CBRE will actively volunteer at local food banks - Burnt Oak Foodbank (9th May), White City Community Food Hub (13th May), and Community Food Enterprise (16th May). These efforts focus on combating food insecurity and strengthening community support, underscoring our commitment to these vital causes. Looking Ahead: A Commitment to Growth and Empowerment Titus Komolafe, Managing Director of Tarem Services, stated, "This milestone isn’t just a celebration of our past achievements; it is a reaffirmation of our commitment to future growth and empowerment. We remain driven by the founding principles established with the invaluable support we’ve received from The Prince’s Trust, Social Enterprise UK, our clients, and other organisations we’ve worked with. This has empowered us to remain dedicated to fostering an environment where our employees thrive and driving social impact where our community flourishes.” A Supporting Voice from The Prince’s Trust: Kevin Sutton, Head of Service Delivery for London at The Prince's Trust, said, “At The Prince’s Trust, we work with young people from disadvantaged communities by supporting them in building the confidence and skills to live, learn and earn. The success of Tarem Services Limited is evidence that when young people receive support in the early days of starting a business, there will be a benefit to both the wider community and future economy for decades to come.” To find out more about Tarem Services Limited, visit www.taremservices.com   About Tarem Services Tarem Services Limited is a pioneering social enterprise with a critical mission to tackle in-work poverty, particularly among cleaners in the UK. Established in 1999, with the support of a Prince’s Trust grant, the company has evolved into a beacon of ethical business practices, offering a range of professional services, including cleaning, construction labour, pest control, and waste management. Our business model uniquely integrates high-quality service delivery with a strong commitment to social responsibility and environmental sustainability.