The Walton Lea Project, a social enterprise which has been supported by the Plunkett Foundation through Strengthening Rural Communities across the North West and the Enterprise Support project of Making Local Food Work received a visit from the Secret Millionaire a few weeks ago. On the programme broadcast today (14th October), the Walton Lea Project received £20,000 from the Secret Millionaire to help develop their work.
The Walton Lea Project (WLP) was established in 1998 to provide supported employment, training and life chance for adults with learning difficulties. The project is based near Warrington within the setting of a Victorian walled garden where plants and fruit and vegetables are grown and sold to the public.
The WLP are paid by Social Services to cover the ‘care element’ and the cost of supporting adults with learning difficulties, and raises income through the sale of produce and products that are grown and created through both an onsite and mobile shop in order to retain and maintain the site. The project has developed from supporting just 7 adults with learning difficulties in 1998 to over 50.
WLP has also developed other income streams through employment contracts with the Woodland Trust and the Groundwork Trust, and has taken on an additional horticultural site. This has both increased the opportunities for the beneficiaries of the project and increased the capacity for work placements with the WLP.
Strengthening Rural Communities across the North West supported the Walton Lea Project to employ a development worker who promoted and developed a mobile shop services to surrounding rural communities who lacked access to a village shop. They were also supported to establish and promote a monthly farmers’ market. They were featured in the Guide (PDF 3MB) and Film which were produced as part of the project.
Making Local Food Work supported the Walton Lea Project by providing specialist enterprise support which looked at the potential of the site and shop as a visitor attraction. Consultants spent a day at working with their staff to produce a marketing report which is now being taken forward by the Walton Lea Project to help them to become more enterprising. A case study of this support is now available.
Watch the Secret Millionaire online at http://www.channel4.com/programmes/4od
To find our more about the Walton Lea Project please visit http://www.waltonlea.org.uk/