A homeless charity in Kendal could benefit from a wrong application.

Manna House on Ann Street , which provides advice, and a drop-in support centre for the homeless, in the town, had originally applied for town council support for vetting new volunteers. But instead has accidentally sent in an older application into the Kendal on Bloom committee for gardening grants.

The comedy of errors could still get the charity help from the town. This week's Kendal in Bloom committee met to discuss ways to help the homeless charity with money to planting sensory flowers and a water feature.

Andria Aldridge who’s originally from Philadelphia, is the manager and support officer for Manor house says she is excited by how money - if it came from the committee could help. She said: “We have re-purposed a bit of our car park and have created a garden with fruit and veg growing in pots and raised beds. I use the garden to support vulnerable clients who are coming out of prison or recovering from addiction as it is a therapeutic space. Gardening gives them a sense of purpose and achievement and raises up their self-esteem, it also teaches them new skills. I would like to introduce a sensory section to the garden. We would like to buy flowers with amazing scents for any money we get, and to be able to make water features, sculptures, sounds and movement to create a place that is therapeutic and feeds all the senses."

Kendal in Bloom met to discuss ways of helping this week. Councillor Chriss Rowley was concerned for the security of anything bought. He said: “Any water feature could get stollen such as water pump.” The council voted overwhelmingly to support the application for garden plants in principle with the committee voting unanimously to find ways to help.

Mis Aldridge said, “ I don’t know how the mix up happened between my application made for flowers in 2019 being discussed this year, and this year’s application for volunteers going missing. But I think this will be of great benefit to our clients , some of whom struggle with mental health issues and are at a difficult season in their life.”

“The money would be used to buy everything we need to make a sensory space and it will be put to great use in our garden.