Introduction to Earthworks

Earthworks St. Albans is a registered charity that offers trainees, often with learning difficulties or mental health problems, work experience and training in horticultural and land-based skills. We have a three-acre site in Hixberry Lane, St. Albans. It is managed on environmental principles and we have open days a number of times a year. Members of the public are welcome to visit and buy our produce.

For up to date news from the site check out our Blog.

DSC_0026 - Copy 12 10       

Earthworks staff and volunteers work – and learn – with the trainees to maintain the site, with its gardens, tree nursery, vegetable beds, shade tunnels and polytunnel.

Earthworks also has a stall at the monthly St. Albans Farmers’ Market where we sell fruit, vegetables, herbs and craft produced at Hixberry Lane.

7

Support Worker Vacancy

We are currently recruiting for a site support worker, click here for more information!

Christmas Party 2014

The Earthworks Christmas Party is absolutely one of the highlights of the year and 2014’s party was no exception. Our lovely Warren was crammed full to bursting with happy festive people; singing, dancing and enjoying some hearty and healthy homemade grub! Thank you so much to everyone who came along and made it such a special evening.

Steve Lane (The Master):

Yesterday evening (eeuuughhh!) we held the annual Earthworks Christmas Party and it was excellent!  I really enjoyed the leek, pea and mint soup that Fiona made.  I do wish that Father Christmas had shown up though. Eeuuuughhhh!

Michelle Peers:

I really liked the party, I liked the salad and healthy food. Lots of people came I saw lots of people I know. I got my certificate which said well done for looking at the animals and plants at Earthworks, It made me feel happy. My carer Katie brought me in her car, it was nice showing her around.

Christmas Party-4 Christmas Party-9 Christmas Party-7Christmas Party-12Christmas Party-15Christmas Party-14

The Sun Shines on the 2014 Open Garden

All at Earthworks were delighted to open our gardens to our members and local community this Sunday. The September sun shone warmly on us as the many visitors enjoyed an amazing selection of tasty cakes (entered into the Bake Off competition), cream teas, and were able to browse the variety of plants, vegetables and crafts to buy on our stalls. The kids also had lots of fun at the coconut shy and were able to get creative painting ceramic pots and ladybirds!

As usual our local community were very generous, making donations and purchasing our produce. All funds raised are most gratefully received and are always put to very valuable use in helping us to continue and expand our work.

We very much hope that everyone had an enjoyable afternoon in our beautiful gardens and we look forward to seeing you again soon!

Earthworks will be holding Christmas Wreath making workshops Saturday 29th Nov and Saturday 6th Dec. These are a nice opportunity to have fun weaving and decorating your own Christmas Wreath inside the new log cabin at Earthworks.Only £25pp. Advanced bookings only, please contact Mandy Marson: mandymarson@hotmail.co.uk

Our site is open Mon-Fridays 9.30am-3.00pm for sales of fresh produce and crafts and remember to look out for our stall at the St Albans farmers market every second sunday of the month.

 

See more photographs from the 2014 Open Garden here in our Blog.

EWs_Open_Garden_Sept_14-11

New Security at Earthworks

Earthworks has sadly been a target for thieves and vandals numerous times in recent years. There was really nothing more heartbreaking than arriving at our lovely gardens to discover damage had been done to areas worked on by our trainees and volunteers or to find that equipment had been stolen.

As part of our new building project we have had a complete overhaul of security arrangements. Following meetings with Herts Police Force we now have a smart new fence around the entire perimeter of the site (with anti-climb measures), an infra-red CCTV system, and, perhaps most importantly, we no longer keep any valuable equipment on our site overnight.

20140703_102557 (1)

We are also continually grateful to local people who report any issues or suspicious goings on in the area to us and the police. Thank you!