Cala collaborates with Milltimber charity

New homeowners at Cala’s Woodhurst at Oldfold Village are welcomed with specially made gift bags, created by pupils at the Camphill School, a part of Camphill Estates (CRSE).

Camphill Estates, which was established in 1945, works in partnership with five independent charities around Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, including Camphill School, to support children, young people and adults with learning disabilities and additional support needs.

The gift bags are filled with locally sourced products, using grocery and handmade craft items from the sustainable shop, café and heritage hub Murtle Market, Camphill’s social enterprise, developed as part of their Building Futures, Transforming Lives fundraising appeal.

Murtle Market sells a variety of local produce including fresh vegetables, baked goods and bread, plus a range of different items crafted by Camphill students as part of the school’s art workshop, including seasonal felted items and woodcarving.

The market offers meaningful work and training opportunities for the young people at Camphill School to engage with the public and learn valuable skills such as cash handling and customer service, which help to build confidence and nurture independence, while the art workshop gives the young people accessible ways to express themselves, regulate through hands-on making, and collaborate with their peers on meaningful projects. 

Nicolas Nino-Ramirez, sustainable development & social enterprise lead at Camphill School Aberdeen, said: “We really value the support that the team at Cala, and it’s fantastic to see that extend to Murtle Market. Over the last year, the team have volunteered on our Murtle Estate and sponsored our recent ‘Back to School’ Quiz.

“Now, the inclusion of handcrafted items from our artwork shop in a Murtle Market welcome gift for new homeowners is a proud moment for the young people here.

“It’s difficult to put into words the positive impact our social enterprise has on the young people, whether it’s seeing people choosing to buy something they’ve created, serving customers, or stocking shelves and managing orders, all of which build confidence, independence, and skills for the future.

“We look forward to welcoming people from the Woodhurst at Oldford Village to Murtle Market for a coffee and cake!”

Nicola Lawson, sales administrator at Cala Homes (North) who oversaw the partnership, which is part of Cala’s Community Pledge initiative, added: “Nico and the team at Camphill Estates do such invaluable work within the community, so we are delighted that we can support them, while also providing our new homebuyers at Woodhurst at Oldfold Village with locally sourced products.”