New plans revealed as GROW celebrates 35 years

Wednesday 22 May 2019

GROW Ltd has marked its coral anniversary with a celebration of 35 years of hard work and success by staff, volunteers and supporters.

The charity held an Open Day at its Les Coutanchez vinery on Saturday with special guests including two of those members of staff who have been with the organisation since it was first launched in 1983.

Patrick Le Tissier and Simon Ozanne were honoured by the Bailiff, with Sir Richard Collas presenting them with individual engraved glass plaques to commemorate their three and a half decades worth of service.  

Both men had joined the team at GROW as attendees in 1983, working hard and progressing to Supported Employees. Now they are employed as Vinery Foreman and Front of House Advisor/Cashier respectively, with both fulfilling important roles in the community scheme.  

For Mr Le Tissier, the day was particularly memorable as he is due to retire next month by which point he'll have clocked up almost 36 years service in total.

After the presentation Sir Richard said; "GROW is celebrating 35 years of success and we are looking forward to a further 35 years. Of course this couldn’t happen without the support, not just of their team, but that of the community who come here to help and to buy plants.  We all enjoy what GROW produces."

During the anniversary celebrations, plans to redevelop the site were revealed. Those plans include ideas to modernise and enhance the facilties where GROW is based so there can be an increase in the number of people with disabilities attending the site.  

That means more people will have the opportunity to learn new skills and gain confidence, which often then enables them to move into employment elsewhere in the commercial sector. The aim is also to provide space for other charities whose objectives are similar to those of GROW.

Pictured top: Mark Dunster, Chairman of GROW Ltd with Simon Ozanne, Patrick Le Tissier and Sir Richard Collas.