Support Canterbury Oast Trust in the Waitrose Green Token Scheme
We are delighted to share that Canterbury Oast Trust has been selected as one of the charities supported by the Waitrose Green Token Scheme.
Each project will recieve a donation, with the amount awarded based on the number of votes (tokens) recieved. The project with the most votes will recieve £1,500, second place will recieve £1,000 and third place will recieve £500.
If you are doing your food shop at Waitrose Tenterden, we’d be incredibly grateful if you could place your green tokens in our box. Our token box will remain in store until the end of September.
Every token counts and will help us continue our work with adults with learning disabilities and autism.
Our Farm Life Skills Students at the Kent County Show 2026
Our Farm Life Skills Students enjoyed attending and showing at the Kent County Show last weekend.
They participated in 5 sheep shows. After weeks of training and prepping the sheep we were so proud to show them off.
The students were delighted to win some rosettes after all their hard work.
The life skills teams also entered the decorative pot and planters in the Garden Life exhibition and won 1st, 3rd and highly commended.
Over the weekend 15 students enjoyed the show, with additional tickets being funded by the Friends of COT.
Big thanks to John Page Trailers Ltd for lending us a sparkling new trailer to transport our sheep in!
Well done everyone, we are so proud of all your hard work!
Inclusion Conference Centre officially opens
We celebrated an exciting milestone on Tuesday 7 July with the official opening of the new Inclusion Conference Centre at the Rare Breeds Centre.
Trustees, supporters, funders, invited guests, staff and students came together to mark the launch of a venue that will create paid employment opportunities for adults with learning disabilities and autism.
The event showcased the potential of the new venue, with our culinary Life Skills students preparing and serving a delicious buffet, demonstrating the skills they have developed and providing a glimpse of the opportunities the centre will create in the future.
Designed for meetings, training sessions and events, the Inclusion Conference Centre will offer local organisations a professional venue with real social impact. Every booking will help provide training, work experience and supported pathways into employment.
Sarah Edwards, CEO, said the centre would help break down barriers and create opportunities for people who may never previously have had the chance to earn a real wage.
“Every booking creates opportunity. You’re not simply hiring a room. You’re investing in an inclusive workforce and helping people realise their potential.”
The centre was officially opened by service-user Thomas and Councillor Winston Michael, Mayor of Ashford, who praised the project and its wider benefit to the local community.
A huge thank you to everyone who helped bring this project to life, including funders, donors, supporters, trustees, staff and students. Their commitment has helped turn an ambitious idea into a practical opportunity for people to build confidence, develop workplace skills and take steps towards paid employment.
Inclusion Conference Centre opening highlights video
Learn more about the Inclusion Conference Centre
You can find out more about our Inclusion Conference Centre or make an enquiry about a booking for your meeting, event or training by clicking the buttons below.
