Accent residents work in horticultural partnership

Published by Heather Jacklin for Accent Group in Housing

As part of Accent's community investment strategy - its commitment to investing in its homes and estates - the association has launched a horticulture and landscape gardening partnership with Yorkshire Housing.

Accent Foundation Managing Director Claire Stone and the Chief Executive of Yorkshire Housing Mervyn Jones launched the partnership at Yorkshire Housing’s Ashfield Garden Centre on Thornton Road in Bradford.  

Accent has taken on 12 apprentices aged 16 – 19, several of who are residents or family members of residents. With training and mentoring, Accent will help them learn landscaping skills, under the watchful eye of a supervisor and teams of caretakers.  

In the future, Accent hopes to add to the service. It wants to give its apprentices experience in helping vulnerable or disabled people who cannot manage their gardens, and it will look at providing a landscaping service on its longer term empty homes.