I visited Brunswick Organic Nursery and discovered why it has been voted best small farm shop in the UK

Brunswick has just been crowned for having the best small farm shop in the country at the Farm Shop And Deli Retailer Awards, held at the NEC in Birmingham.

There is so much going on here.

Brunswick is a plant nursery, a charity and a Community Interest Company that offers work and social opportunities to adults with learning difficulties, who are known as workers.

Deputy Manager Maureen shows me around. She started at the nursery seven or eight years ago for one day a week, then found herself being pulled in.

“Brunswick gets hold of you,” she says.

As we begin a tour we are joined by Michael, co-director of Brunswick.

“Things have been grown here for a very long time,” he says, pointing out that the nursey has been established for more than 30 years and sits on the site of an old market garden.

“Brunswick has developed in a very organic and considered manner, thinking about our organic principles and how we impact on people and the planet,” he says.

The nursery offers different areas of work connected to the shop.

“For example, garden services support the shop with deliveries of compost and plants and also goes out and supports and maintains gardens in residential and commercial properties,” says Michael.

The nursery has another site, the Bishopthorpe Walled Garden, in the grounds of Bishopthorpe Palace, only open to the public during the annual York Unlocked event.

As for the shop, Michael says it is the primary outlet for Brunswick’s products and goods, and also allows people to meet, come together, and learn about each other.

The 60 or so workers have learning difficulties, disabilities and autism. “

We meet those people as they arrive, talk to them, hear what they want and hear what their needs are, and build support around that,” says Michael.

As he heads off for a while, Maureen continues with the tour, popping first into the crafts room, where Alan, the area leader, introduces one of the workers.

“Duncan is a brilliant illustrator and some of his illustrations we turn into cards. Any of Duncan’s drawings that turn out well, he’s done an armadillo and a hedgehog, you’ll see in the shop.”

Ben and volunteer Jan are working on a collage of a kingfisher. Piles of clipped-up magazines wait to be assembled like paper mosaic tiles. The outline of a kingfisher has been drawn in pencil, leaving the features and background to be filled in by glueing the tiny paper pieces. Fiddly, finger-sticky work, but when finished the kingfisher will be photographed by Alan and used to print cards for the shop.

“Volunteers like Jan make my life so much more achievable as they can offer one-to-one support with a bit of guidance from me, enabling say Ben here to do this project,” says Alan.

Late last year, Ben and Jan worked on a robin for the nursery Christmas card. “It’s a slow, painstaking process,” says Alan. “The robin took weeks and weeks, but we turned it around for Christmas, and it sold incredibly well.”

Rugs sold in the shop are made here on a loom, but no-one is weaving today.

Next door is the community team, where area leader Tanya is working alongside Tim, David and Emma.

“We put on events, we write newsletters and do leaflets and promotional stuff for charities,” says Tanya.

The Brunswick Post, a monthly publication for parents, carers and workers, is produced here.

“We use a shared programme called Canva,” says Tanya. “We edit and print it. Then I’ll have Emma check it’s an easy read. She’s brilliant and she’ll give me a thumbs-up. Emma’s basically my editor every month.”

Next we go through to the kitchen, where Louisa is area leader.

“Louisa runs a very wonderful kitchen and makes the beat cheese scones you have ever eaten,” says Maureen.

The kitchen provides hot lunches for anyone who wants them. Pizza was on the menu today.

“Some people bring pack-ups,” says Louisa. “Tim always brings a pack-up even though he works in the kitchen and helps cook the meals.”

Maureen asks Elizabeth what it means to her when she works in the shop. “Ice cream!” she says, although this refers to checking supplies rather eating it.

Back outside we pass the spaces where the land group work when they are not in the walled garden. Then we meet the plant production team under Andrea, all pricking out bedding plants for the nursery.

In the greenhouses we see plants that will be sold in the shop. Peas are already in, while the cabbages are abundantly ready to harvest, or possibly to invade Bishopthorpe, looking at the size of them.

In the orchard we pass between the fruit trees.

“We’ve got a whole range of apples here,” says Maureen. “But we don’t sell many apples, it all goes into juice. It’s one of our most popular things that we do. People are bereft when they can’t buy our apple juice.”

Maureen points to a greenhouse where tomatoes will ripen later. “Our tomatoes are legendary,” she adds.

Back in the shop, Maureen shows items made by the woodwork group, bird houses, feeders and the like.

“What’s nice is they are given their head and can do whatever design they like,” she says.

She points out cards from the crafts team, candles and diffusers.

Looking round the shop, Maureen says: “It means everything to us to win the award. In my heart, I hoped and thought we would win, because it’s such a special place. We were in tears.”

Elizabeth, Dora and Tim were among the workers chosen to attend the ceremony on awards night. Like shop manager Catherine and Maureen, who accompanied them, they had no idea if the shop had won.

“We had a very giddy time,” says Maureen.

Dora, who works in the shop every Thursday, loved being at the ceremony.

“I was really excited. I was so nervous,” she says. “And everyone was so proud me. I have been working here since last year and it’s very good, people are so friendly.”

“Dora’s a treasure,” says Maureen.

“Receiving this award is a fantastic recognition of all the effort the workers, volunteers and staff at Brunswick put into producing a great range of organic fruit and veg, beautiful crafts and woodwork items which we love selling through the shop," says Catherine.

Michael, who has popped back, says: “For me it’s a validation of all the hard work over a number of years, and of the approach that we take around the people and the place that we work, and the planet we inhabit.

"We try to do things with care and attention. And with a sense of community and responsibility.”

www.brunswickyork.org.uk