Treloar’s Patron Alan Titchmarsh opens new Outdoor Learning Centre

July 6, 2021 / 9:40 am

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, we are delighted to have officially opened our new Outdoor Learning Centre complete with Sensory Garden, a fully accessible changing facility and a newly refurbished Greenhouse.

Alan Titchmarsh, a long standing Patron of Treloar’s came to the campus to conduct the small scale opening ceremony, welcoming donors and friends of Treloar’s who have made this new Centre possible.

Alan said

“It was such an honour to be there and to be part of it.  Outdoor learning is vital for our health as individuals and as a community, and Treloar’s are a wonderful example of how that connection with nature can be achieved and how it benefits us all. I hope the garden thrives.”

Before leaving, Alan found time to support some students and plant up one of the large accessible planters with a selection of flowering bedding plants and was presented with a gift made by the students.

As the needs of Treloar’s students continue to increase, it has been vital for us to look to the sustainability of our learning environments, developing suitable spaces for students to enjoy safely and as independently as possible.

Simple things that we most of us may take for granted such as temperature controls and automatic doors are crucial for many of our students, alongside sensory adaptions and height adjusted work spaces.

Thanks to our donors, which include the National Gardens Scheme, Garfield Weston Foundation and the Syder Foundation, the Greenhouse is now fully accessible and even has a home for small animals and a vegetable garden! The students will be harvesting the vegetables and selling them to staff and students – which is not only great for their wellbeing, but also their enterprise skills.

You’ll also find a sensory garden in the Outdoor Learning Centre, complete with a storytelling area, a fire pit, raised flower beds, wheelchair friendly pathways and a stunning water feature.

And our students love it! Jade, in their College said: “It’s amazing – it’s so much better than it was.”

At Treloar’s we are very grateful to all our donors, without them this centre would not be possible.

We are now continuing fundraising efforts towards Phase 2 of the Centre, which includes a classroom extension and a second accessible changing facility, we are thrilled to say that we have just £40,000 left to raise for this part. Should you be interested in learning more about the Outdoor Learning Centre or donating towards the Phase 2 appeal please visit the appeal website.