Treloar’s in Alton has received a £25,000 grant from the Costa Foundation - Costa Coffee’s charity partner - towards its Planting Possibilities gardening project.

It and another school for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Kent are the first recipients of the global charity’s funding in the UK.

Principal and chief executive Martin Ingram said: “With the support of the Costa Foundation we’re inspiring more physically disabled children and young people to imagine a future in horticulture.

“What excites me most is the confidence and ambition we’re seeing grow in every young person involved in Planting Possibilities. Seeing our college students lead the plans for developing our outdoor centre gives me enormous hope for what lies ahead.”

Every year Planting Possibilities gives around 180 pupils and students aged four to 25 the opportunity to develop practical business skills, confidence and independence through gardening and growing projects, connecting them with nature and inspiring them to consider future opportunities in horticulture.

Support from Costa will help increase cross-curricular horticulture sessions and create hands-on work experience opportunities in gardening careers.

This will include talks from industry speakers plus opportunities for students to learn about and design business plans for the outdoor learning centre, supported by new accessible equipment such as growing trugs and plant trolleys.

Costa Foundation executive director Kate O’Brien said: “Funding our first-ever UK projects is something we have been working towards, and to see it become a reality, supporting an incredible school like Treloar’s, doing life-changing work for young people with special educational needs and disabilities, is a moment we are truly proud of.”

The Costa Foundation and Treloar’s are hosting a pop-up event giving pupils, students, staff and supporters the chance to hear more about Planting Possibilities at Old Market Place, Brightwells Yard, Farnham, on June 4 from 10am to 4pm.