Celebrity TV Gardener presents trainees with achievement awards

Jim McColl MBE, Honorary President of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, and best known as presenter of the BBC’s Beechgrove Garden, was at The Floral Hall in Inverness today (Tuesday 15 February) to present 33 trainees with their ‘Recognition of Individual Achievement in Horticulture’ awards.

The trainees have spent up to the last two years undertaking the training for their award at the Floral Hall & Training Centre’s Garden Projects for Adults with Learning Disabilities’ based at the Floral Hall and at the Isobel Rhind Centre, Invergordon.  The Award, designed by the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, provides evidence that an individual with complex needs and or difficulties has met a disciplined level of learning in practical horticulture and has achieved some personal goals that were set to develop and improve on their skills such as concentration, interaction with others, self-esteem, confidence and health & safety.

Core activities that the trainees have all successfully completed include cultivation, composting, seed sowing, propagation, potting on, plant care and harvesting.

The Highland Council’s Chairman of the Housing and Social Work committee, Councillor Margaret Davidson said:  “This is a really special day for the Floral Hall & Training Centre.  Having Jim McColl make the presentations on behalf of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society is a wonderful way for us all to celebrate the fantastic achievements of our trainees, the work of our staff and the excellence of the Floral Hall and its projects. As I run a plant nursery business, I can really appreciate the huge amount of work the trainees have undertaken.  I hope it has given them all a love for horticulture which they can continue developing for the rest of their lives.”

Councillor Bill Fernie, Chairman of the ECS Committee added:  “This project is an excellent example of cross service working and I would like to congratulate all the trainees as well as all the staff who have worked so hard. Learning new skills and gaining the confidence to use these skills in a practical way is a great accomplishment.”

The next step for the trainees will be to continue their training and grow plants and flowers for sale as part of the Floral Hall & Training Centre’s drive to reduce its running costs.