A HOME for people with learning disabilities is launching a £150,000 plan to create an organic vegetable plot, orchard and sensory garden on the edge of Malvern Link.

The Elizabeth Fitzroy Trust which owns Dalvington, off Lower Howsell Road, wants to create the field on land it owns next to the home.

And the home, which has 15 residents, is looking for volunteers to help make the scheme a reality.

Liz Matthissen, the home's deputy manager, said: "We've got this piece of land next to the home that we own but we're not using. Setting up this horticultural project will be a productive thing to do with it."

Plans for the land, currently a grass meadow, include setting up greenhouses and potting sheds, vegetable gardens, fruit orchards and a sensory garden, as well as an area for wildlife.

Dalvington's residents, some of whom are already keen on gardening, would use the garden to grow fresh produce, plants and flowers.

"It's very early days yet, but we will need a lot of help to set it up. It's a very big project for us," said Liz. The volunteers could carry out such tasks as digging, light DIY, potting planting and general maintenance.

They could also work with the residents, passing on knowledge and encouraging them to take an interest in horticulture.

"We're looking at this as a long-term investment for us and for the local community," she said.

For more information about volunteering, contact Emma Done on 01886 833424. Because Dalvington provides a home for vulnerable people, volunteers will be subject to Criminal Records Bureau checks.