Shaw Trust, a charity helping to transform the lives of young people and adults across the UK that already owns Palmer Gardens Garden Centre in Trowbridge has purchased two midlands garden centres from the Hillview Group.

The centres are Billing in Northampton and Pavilion in Wolverhampton. Both are garden centres that are part of shopping villages.

Boyd J Douglas-Davies, CEO of Hillview Garden Centres, confirmed to GTN Xtra this weekend that Billing and Pavilions Garden Stores transferred to The Shaw Trust charity on Thursday 7th March.

"This is part of our on-going strategy and I'm delighted that The Shaw Trust has taken on these sites. Their unique model will suit these locations and I think they'll do very well. I wish them and our former colleagues all the best for the future"

Shaw Trust is one of the largest 25 charities in the UK. Comprising Shaw Trust, Prospects, Ixion and Shaw Education Trust, they use 75 years’ combined experience to support people to develop their potential. Their goal is to help transform the lives of one million young people and adults each year.

With 4,000 staff and 1,000 volunteers they provide joined-up services for government, local authorities, combined authorities, employers, stakeholders – including the Department for Work and Pensions, Education and Skills Funding Agency, clinical commissioning groups and NHS Trusts – and individuals.

Shaw Trusts work focuses on seven business areas:

• Employability
  Learning and skills
  Justice
  Children’s services
  Education
  Charitable services and enterprise
  Community health and wellbeing

The Trowbridge based garden centre, Palmer Gardens, not only boasts an impressive range of plant and garden products on sale to the public, and an on-site café, but also offers training and employment opportunities to local young disabled people. The Palmer Gardens Education Programme offers individuals invaluable support with their literacy and numeracy skills, helping them gain career-progressing accredited qualifications in customer service, horticulture and food hygiene. Students can then practically apply their new skills in work opportunities in the Palmer Gardens shop, café and garden centre.