b'Annual Report 2023/24Meet Le Cheile:A Social & Therapeut ic Hort iculture ProjectOur County Cork-based social and therapeutic Celebrates 1 Year horticulture team celebrated 1 year of Le Cheile, an initiative to provide engagement and participation by people with autism. The social and3 polytunnels, a fruitthroughout the year.therapeutic horticulturalgarden and an outdoorIt has been a learning programme giveseducation space, saidcurve for everyone, but meaningful andAnita OBrien. the overall support from beneficial activities toThe benefits of thesethe community and Praxis Cares attendeesresources for people withsatisfaction of the at Crobally andautism cannot beamateur gardeners has Greenville Day services.underestimated and ourmeant they have more Led by professionalsmall team of part-timethan achieved their horticulturist Anitahorticulturalists andgoals. OBrien, more than 40volunteers have achievedVolumes are very small people have completedwonders in terms ofbut nonetheless we have both one-to-one andencouragement ofproven the point that very group-based socialparticipation, she said. high quality vegetables therapeutic horticultureand fruit grown in a programmes. The Le Cheile socialsocial enterprise We have invested inenterprise was set up toenvironment which both our gardens inprovide extra value frombenefits people with Greenville and Croballythe work the team hasautism can be a winning to provide accessiblebeen doing with Praxiscombination, she said. raised beds, a kitchenCare attendees garden, sensory garden and glasshouse and have extended to include woodlands, an orchard, 36 37'