Visitors at this year’s Southport Flower Show were able to shop for craft and gift items with a difference thanks to a leading Sefton adult social care provider.


Bootle-based New Directions took a stand at the prestigious event to showcase the work of people who attend its creative services across the borough.


These services include New Threads, which enables people to learn sewing and embroidery skills, and New Timbers which fulfills the same function with woodwork and joinery.


New Directions also operates a garden centre - New Leaf - on Rotten Row, on land adjacent to the Flower Show site, where people are able to acquire horticultural and retail skills.


Items from all three projects were on sale at this year’s 90th Flower Show, from decorative cushions and table runners to bird boxes and bug homes and herb baskets and planters.


The common factor uniting all the goods on sale is that they are bespoke items - one-offs which are unavailable elsewhere.


Julie Jones, who manages the creative services, said that the organisation was very pleased with the response from members of the public: “The Flower Show is always very busy and many visitors stopped off to see what we had to offer.


“The people who use our creative services are justifiably very proud of their work, and really appreciate seeing items they have produced attracting so much interest.


“In terms of our customers, as well as having the chance to choose from a range of unusual items, they have the satisfaction of knowing that we will plough back any money they spend into providing more resources and opportunities for these services,’ added Julie.