ABOUT THE GLASSHOUSE
We are a social enterprise offering second chances to women prisoners reaching the end of their prison sentence. Our mission is to reduce reoffending through horticultural training and employment. Our team grow and nurture beautiful, resilient houseplants, which are sold directly through our website and shop located in Cranbrook, as well as our bespoke corporate gifting service and plantscaping for offices, hospitality and retail.
Our project is based out of East Sutton Park prison for women in Kent. This is where our team of ex-offenders began caring for, growing and propagating temperate house plants before moving to bigger facilities in Cranbrook. Upon release, we offer help with job placement and housing, as the primary causes of reoffending are lack of secure housing and employment. Our project is based around the proven physical and emotional benefits that being close to nature provides. Plants in the workspace are proven to increase productivity, concentration and creativity as well as clean toxins from the air and increase oxygen levels.
Our plants are good for everyone, from the women who work with us to the people living and working around our live greenery. We hope you will be passionate about our botanics too. Together we can grow a brighter future for everyone.
We are passionate about botanics.
Many prisons have disused glasshouses due to cuts in land-based training and services. Our mission is to expand to every female prison by 2030, bringing life to unused resources and offering second chances to more ex-offenders across the UK. All profits generated through The Glasshouse are reinvested to expand and grow our programmes in prisons and for ex-offenders post release. We pay all of our women the National Living Wage.
I enjoy and value the program so much and wanted to let you know how at peace I am whilst working with nature. I personally find that the project has truly physically and emotionally benefitted me whereby I feel stronger and more relaxed whilst I am also able to give back and better the world. I love the fact that I'm always learning and discovering new things through the project. Some of the people I've met and the personal relationships I've built through the project itself are now friends for life.
NETTIE / EAST SUTTON PARK HORTICULTURE TEAM
Find more information about the benefits of plants in the work and living spaces here:
