The “Won’t COSTA Penny” Café and tuck shop have been a roaring success with regular attendees every day. As well as providing a much needed change of environment during lockdown, they’ve provided opportunities to develop budgeting skills through a weekly token scheme as well as providing vocational job roles too.
The Occupational Therapy team have also joined forces with the Psychology department to start a new gardening group; the first mission is to create a herb garden and vegetable patch. Thanks to the generosity of some local residents and businesses, the team have been able to source the tools, seedling, compost and planters needed to get the project off the ground.
The aim of the gardening project is to help service users to keep active, to learn new skills together and to create a therapeutic space to enjoy during lockdown and then after. The service’s Head of Occupational Therapy, Emily Courtier, said, “Hopefully the café will soon be serving home-grown mint and chamomile teas and our kitchen serving home grown veggies!”
A big thank you to the staff who have made these opportunities possible.