Growing green-fingered talent

The HCR Foundation, formerly known as the charitable trust, has been the focus of many cake sales and physical challenges across the firm for many years – one of the excellent local causes to which it has given is Riversides School, which specialises in helping children with special educational needs.

The school was given £500 to help them create new garden areas – with two sites in Worcester, on Thornloe Road and at Spring Garden, the school had 60 pupils aged 7-16 who wanted to be able to grow their own. They wanted to develop garden areas and their own allotment so that the children could be involved in planting, growing and looking after flowers and vegetables.

Paul Yeomans, the school’s headteacher, said: “It’s marvellous that the trust could help us out in this way – we want the children to be able to get out into the garden and onto our allotment to learn about growing and nurturing plants. If it means they are ready to try eating a few new vegetables, that will be an added bonus!”

Mat Waddington, chair of the trust, said: “I am delighted that we could help them to develop their garden and allotment – we are always keen to support young people.”