Maintaining a two acre site and providing meaningful activities for our clients requires a great deal of equipment, not just shovels, forks and trowels but also larger machinery such as mowers, strimmers and chippers. The Garden currently has several small sheds dotted around the site each containing equipment in a rather unorganised manner while larger equipment such as the wood chipper is wheeled in and out of our centre building every day as we do not have enough storage elsewhere for it. We are therefore committed to developing a large storage facility of 30m2 where all the equipment can be stored securely together in a more accessible manner. This development provides an opportunity for more than just storage and we plan to incorporate a large exterior hardstanding and covered workshop space where we will be able to enhance our teaching opportunities by adding equipment maintenance and care in a clean and organised environment.

What we'll deliver:

• Site Clearing and dismantling and disposal of existing sheds
• Base Concrete slab laid
• Beautiful new shed delivered and built
• Install Power supply
• Install Internal and external shelving
• Install Power tool security cage

Why it's a great idea:

The Therapy Garden is a horticulture and education charity, working with children, young people and adults who are facing significant challenges in life, including learning difficulties, mental health and behavioural problems. The Garden is a safe and supportive environment, whose staff believe in the power of gardening to promote healing and independence. We change lives for the better, and we do this by creating the perfect place to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of gardening and to connect with nature. Having all our tools stored in one place at the Garden, with the facilities to service and maintain them in the same place will add a feeling of organisation and order to the routines of our clients who may be living with a variety of mental health challenges which is the basis of what we do - bringing a little bit of joy to the confusion of life!

Steps to get it done:

• Clearing the Site
• Laying the Foundations
• Building the Shed
• Adding power
• Filtting out the shed

We have 40 clients and family carers who attend regularly, and we are supported by over 50 volunteers who help by working directly with the clients and maintaining the garden. Our clients come mostly from Surrey and Hampshire, but we are open to anyone who is able to attend, regardless of location. The Therapy Garden is open and operational for 50 weeks per year, closing only over the Christmas and Easter holidays. Each week we open for both adult clients and school age young people. Activities may include seasonal appropriate propagation, planting, tending, growing, and harvesting as well as practical activities such as the maintenance of garden equipment, building raised beds and tending a garden pond. We make it a priority to try and design the activities around a client's particular interests and tailor the Garden to suit and engage our visitors. The Garden has many different areas to it including a formal flower garden, vegetable plots, large poly-tunnels and a wildlife pond.