Residents at RMBI Care Co. Home Cadogan Court, in Exeter, were delighted to be able to enjoy a short trip to the local garden centre, following the latest guidance from the government. The recent changes mean that care home residents can now participate in low-risk, out-of-home visits without having to self-isolate on their return to the care homes.
Staff have worked tirelessly to ensure residents continue to exercise and keep active in the Home and in their gardens and outdoor spaces. However, this is the first time they have been able to safely leave the grounds and enjoy an...
The red carpet was rolled out for a very special customer at Otter Garden Centres in Ottery St Mary when Lionel Smith paid a visit.
Lionel chose the garden centre as his preferred destination to mark his 95th birthday and Otter team members worked hard - within social distancing guidelines - to make his visit memorable. They rolled out the red carpet, with a banner, balloons, cake and birthday card from founders Marilyn and Malcolm White, signed by many team members.
It was the first time Lionel had left home since lockdown...
Otter Garden Centres has reopened all seven branches after closing them in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Managing Director, Jacqui Taylor described the first days of reopening:
“We are delighted that we have been allowed to open. We have put the safety of our customers and colleagues as the top priority during this difficult time of trading as we all get used to the new systems and ways of working. So far, customers have shopped very sensibly and carefully - and have praised us on the safety measures we’ve put in place to ensure we are not overcrowded and that...
Otter Garden Centre in Ottery St Mary marked another successful year with the annual team event, The Otters.
Over 100 team members attended the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ themed event, held in a beautifully decorated marquee. They were treated to a sumptuous three course dinner cooked by the management team, with surprise entertainment provided by The Singing Waiters.
Managing Director, Jacqui Taylor said: “This is a wonderful way to thank our hardworking teams for their incredible efforts over the year, especially during the busy Christmas period.
Nursery workers at Otter Garden Centres in Ottery St Mary were surprised to discover a family of great tits nesting inside a speaker.
The speaker is there so staff can listen to the radio while tending to the plants but this year it has had a second function, as home to the great tits.
Nursery Manager, Kevin Clarke said: “We’ve found birds nesting on the site before, including robins in a storage box and wrens that were nesting in a hanging basket.
“We’re always careful to leave them well alone so they can raise their young in peace – although these great tits seem...
Jams made in the restaurant at Otter Garden Centres in Ottery St Mary scooped two golds at this year’s Food & Drink Devon Awards.
The company’s strawberry and raspberry jams were placed gold in the Producers Awards, which this year recognised food and drink products from 29 Devon producers as worthy of this level.
Restaurant Manager, Simon Raynor said: “Ours are traditional jams with pure flavours and high fruit content created by our in-house jam-maker, Liz Lee.
“They have become very popular with customers, particularly when served with our cream teas - so we...
The busy restaurant at Otter Nurseries in Ottery St Mary has been awarded the highest rating by the Food Standards Agency in its most recent inspection.
With over 280 covers, the restaurant serves hundreds of hungry customers every day using fresh ingredients from approved local suppliers.
Restaurant Manager Anthony Adams, said: “In a big kitchen like ours there is a lot to keep on top of in terms of hygiene.
“We work extremely hard to achieve the highest of standards, including staff training. It applies to me too - I recently attended a four-day course in Exeter...
Schoolchildren from a Sidmouth school have planted rocket seeds, some of which have been into space, with a little help from Otter Nurseries.
Marilyn White, founder of the garden centre in Ottery St Mary, visited St John’s International School with donations of seed trays and compost to assist with the experiment, organised by the RHS to see if there is any difference between ‘space seeds’ and normal seeds.
Two kilograms of seeds were sent up to the International Space Station on Soyuz 44S in September 2015, and British ESA astronaut Tim Peake took charge after his arrival...
During the current football season, the Feniton U15 squad has been sporting new kit sponsored by local family-run garden centre, Otter Nurseries – which may have given them a boost for their impressive performance.
The team has given a near-flawless performance during this 18 game season; so far they have won 16 games out of 16. They have scored 158 goals, conceding a mere 18, with the best score being 20-0.
Top scorers are Oscar Walsh and Sam Ayers who have scored more than 80 goals between them. Having just won their latest match against Brixington Blues, the team is now...
The Christmas season has started at Otter Nurseries with the opening of the ever popular Santa’s Grotto.
Visitors to the garden centre on opening day enjoyed additional family fun with free face painting, magic from George the Magician and entertaining characters from Cinderella. There was also the chance to meet donkeys from The Donkey Sanctuary.
Children took the opportunity to have an early chat with Santa and put in a hopeful word for this year’s most-wanted Christmas presents.
“November may seem early for a trip to meet Santa, but dates get booked up very...
