OUR SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES

Thetford Garden Centre began life as an independent, family-run business 40 years ago, and remains so today. Our vision has always been to thrive at the heart of the local community. Our ethos is simple: supporting local. Whether this is through supporting the local community, supplying the local community or serving the local community, we strive to prioritise local suppliers, local partnerships, the local area and local people.

Our mission is to ensure the physical environment of our Centre and the experience of shopping with us make customers feel welcomed, appreciated, satisfied and respected, and that they feel a sense of enjoyment and belonging when with us.

We take our social and environmental decision-making very seriously, aiming to create a sustainable, happy, healthy – and fundamentally kind – environment for all.

We are continually looking at our environmental impact and have set up a Sustainability Action Group where passionate individuals across the business come together to put ideas and actions in place to improve and implement our sustainability goals.

A selection of our major environmental initiatives are outlined below. Please read our Sustainability Roadmap to see further measures.

• LED lighting is installed in all areas, with light sensors where appropriate.
• We use a green electricity supplier.

• We recycle all wood, paper, cardboard, oil, cooking oil, plastics, food and electronics.
• All non-recyclable waste is hand sorted and incinerated to produce power.

• The irrigation system for watering our plants is carefully managed to ensure water is not wasted.
• Rain water is recycled in water butts, which are used around the site for our own planting.
• To further conserve water, our display tables are fitted with capillary matting, a substance that absorbs and retains water for our plants to drink from.

• We stock a large range of peat-free composts. We are completely peat-free.
• An expanding variety of organic substitute products are offered, to support our customers in making eco-friendly choices.
• Local, Fairtrade and B Corp organisations will always be prioritised by us when selecting our suppliers.

• Wildflower planting, bug hotels and a woodland area are included on our site to encourage local wildlife.
• All our cleaning products use biotechnology so no harmful chemicals are used.
• All products containing the chemical compound glyphosate will be phased out by the end of October 2023.

• We are proud of our strong links to the local community and schools, fostered through the provision of regular activities for children and families, and events about gardening, wildlife and sustainability.
• Close ties to wildlife organisations, including the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Norfolk and Suffolk Wildlife Trusts and the RSPB, as well as to local nature sites such as High Lodge and Wild Ken Hill, ensure that our business works in harmony with the local environment and community.
• We aim to educate customers about gardening and wildlife, organic products, and other sustainable measures – our staff are trained to have excellent knowledge of the eco products available, so they can support our customers in making informed decisions.