A WELL-KNOWN TV presenter opened a new wheelchair-accessible kitchen garden for a Mistley charity. 

Roger Tabor, known for his ground-breaking show ‘Cats’, attended Acorn Village's ribbon-cutting ceremony for its latest project. 

The charity's garden is fully accessible with raised beds for vegetables and planting bulbs, with a permanent gazebo overlooking the nearby fields. 

It is used as part of the gardening workshops and serves as an additional space for learning and activities for adults with learning disabilities. 

Mr Tabor, who visited with wife Liz, said: “I am delighted to come to Acorn today to see first hand the wonderful support it provides for adults with learning disabilities.  

“It is especially interesting as next year Acorn Village will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first people coming to live on site and it will also mark the same for my first foray into TV presenting! 

“This accessible garden is a wonderful addition and will be so beneficial to all those who use it.” 

Residents, tenants, staff, volunteers and trustees attended the ribbon-cutting before Mr Tabor enjoyed a grand tour of the garden and 14-acre site. 

Acorn Village's Angenita Hardy-Teekens said: “We’re delighted to be able to preserve our site’s history through these projects thanks to National Lottery players.  

“It has been amazing to see this garden take shape from its conception to where we are now.

"Gardening has many benefits and it should be accessible to all. We are very proud of it.” 

The project has been funded with £100,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund aiming to maximise the natural surroundings of Acorn Village and to boost the wellbeing of those using the charity. 

Part of the money was also used to create a nature walk around the site and to convert an existing space into an apple-pressing facility to utilise the apple harvest on site.