We’ve had a number of things to celebrate this week – like our very own Apple Tree Farm Shop being awarded Best Farm Shop (Wales & The West) in the 2012 Garden Centre Association (GCA) Awards, which really delighted Cath and the rest of the team. You can read more about it at www.gca.org.uk. Listening to what customers want is really important to everyone at the Apple Tree Farm Shop. Finding new local producers and sourcing the very best food and drink is what they do every day – and often local producers come along to give tastings of their products and chat about what they do. The shop now stocks a range of gluten-free foods too – again, in direct response to customer requests. It seems like everyone’s hard work has now paid off – so congratulations to the whole team.

Meanwhile, The Green Shed at Castle Gardens received delivery of a much-loved model train named ‘The Mallard’. It was originally made in the workshop at Sherborne’s Coldharbour Hospital in the early 1970s – since then it has been enjoyed by everyone at St Paul’s local playgroup and many other members of the community – including one person who now attends The Green Shed. Barry organised a big celebration when it arrived and many people from the community came along to see it in its new home. The Mallard will add something special to the atmosphere at The Green Shed and bring back many happy memories to members of the team.

Mike