Dorset-based social enterprise, Future Roots, and The Engine Room Restaurant near Dorchester are delighted to be reaping the rewards of their new partnership, with workers at the care farm now delivering a fresh basket of the finest local vegetables every week to the restaurant based at Poundbury Gardens.
Based just three miles from Poundbury Gardens, the vegetables grown on Future Roots' four acre Whitfield site are tended to by a group of vulnerable adults collectively known as the Countrymen's Club, who in return for providing carefully nurtured local produce for diners at The Engine Room Restaurant to enjoy, are receiving vouchers to spend on tools and seeds at any of The Gardens Group's three award-winning centres.
Future Roots was established nine years ago and provides a range of programmes for all ages from both Whitfield Farm and its original site, Rylands Farm near Sherborne, Dorset. The not-for-profit social enterprise specialises in giving positive purpose to those in the local community who are struggling with transitions in their lives and is open every day to people who have complex issues to deal with. All staff are experienced and well trained to facilitate positive change with the help of animals or plants, with Countrymen's Club sessions now running five days per week across the two sites.
Future Roots activities include woodworking, pottery and animal assisted therapy, but the team at Whitfield particularly enjoy horticulture, making their partnership with Poundbury Gardens the perfect opportunity to share the fruits of their labour with the wider community.
Cath Collins, group food manager at The Gardens Group, explains; “We're so inspired by the work undertaken at Future Roots and have been bowled over by the range and quality of the vegetables that they've produced. Provenance is really important to us at The Engine Room and this initiative dovetails perfectly with our ongoing commitment to local and seasonal sourcing. We all hope that our partnership helps shine the spotlight on the great work that Future Roots does and inspires more volunteers to get involved.”