Hello, I am Phil. I have been coming to Reach since 2011 and I started at Flower Pod before the building went up. Before that I was doing gardening on the YTS scheme. That finished after a year and Flower Pod seemed good just to get to know about growing plants and that. I’ve learned loads of stuff over the years and can do complicated stuff like sowing different seeds, pricking out seedlings, potting on and planting them out. It’s good to see something you have grown do well and then get sold in a bouquet. When I came here I met new people, made friends and I’m still friends with them. If I’m struggling I know I have friends to ask for help. I’m not able to work full time due to a health
condition and I started going to Reach Newark and it really helped to fill a gap in my life. I did some cooking classes and now I help as a volunteer, going to the gym with sports group and working with the allotment group – I help out with people, show them how to do stuff and am an extra pair of hands for example, when sports group do walking, I can walk with someone who needs a bit more time or wait with them to keep them safe. I also do a computer class which is a bit difficult because I like to do it on my own but Matt the tutor will always help – I just like to do stuff myself – I guess I am very independent.

Reach holidays have been a good thing in my life. It’s helpful that it’s organised from you. I can go on my own and enjoy the social aspect. I meet people from the other bases like Southwell and Mansfield – getting to know new people. We have a pint with the Chief Executive – we’re all the same, one big gang.

Being at Reach and Flower Pod helped me get out instead of staying at home on my own – being bored. They have also helped me with my finances, getting papers ready for a Personal Budget audit, I would have struggled with that. I’ve got a system now for filing it all and my sister helps me. I go and help out by volunteering at things  like the Christmas Fayre at Newark – I’ll stand behind a stall and sell stuff, talk to people, help set up and clear down – being part of the team. I’ve literally seen the garden grow at Flower Pod, it makes me happy to see the plants grow – I feel proud. Life without Reach? I’d be fed up, plodding around not knowing what to do with myself. I’ve been through a really difficult time recently and I just knew that people at Reach were there for me – it’s kept me going by giving me something to do, take my mind off the horrible stuff – have something else to think about. I’ve been doing the HOPE Project – learning about how to be a peer mentor to help others avoid sexual exploitation – difficult stuff. It’s a British Institute of Learning Disabilities project that Reach is involved with. The Hope Project Manager Bridget is lovely, always cheerful and patient, helping us learn and feel confident, sorting out visits to schools and colleges where we have been giving presentations to younger people about what exploitation is, their rights and where to go for help. I’ve taken part in courses to help in lots of different ways – Travel Training, Employability – preparing for volunteering and work - I learned how to write my CV and then I did a work placement at Flower Pod and I met Ben, a young, new client and I coached him as part of teamworking, it made me feel good. I like helping other people, yeah, really good.