Care and support

Garden City Day Centre

108 Ludwick Way, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 3QE
(Select the link called 'See a map of this area' on the right of this page, you can then zoom in to see our exact location.)
Tel: 01707 373259
Fax: 01707 333895
E-mail: Gardencity.dayservice@hertscc.gov.uk

A guide to our services

Hertfordshire County Council's Garden City Day Centre provides services for up to 30 people with physical and/or sensory disabilities daily.

People living in the Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield area who need continuing rehabilitation support outside of the home environment attend the service, where we encourage them to do things for themselves, gain independence and self esteem and feel capable of finding new directions in the future.

We provide a day service to people whose needs are assessed by the local Adult Care Services Area Teams. We aim to enable users of our service to continue to live within the community as equally as possible by providing an environment which is safe and friendly, where standards of care are high and where people are encouraged to exercise choice whenever possible. We offer people a programme of planned activities and encourage them to be involved with the decision making of the service as a whole.

Activities include a varied programme of individual and group activities to help people work toward independence such as computer skills, arts & craft, desktop publishing, cookery, gardening, picture framing, discussion groups and special interest groups. People are also involved with a local organisation for the Olympic sport of boccia and other Para Olympic sports.

Oaklands College also organise accredited courses on site including literacy & numeracy skills, digital photography and personal development.


The centre is open from 9.30am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday. Most people attend the centre for two or three days a week. We close for Bank Holidays and up to three other days for staff training.

Our staff come from a variety of backgrounds and have extensive training and experience of working with people with differing abilities and needs.

Everyone is allocated a member of staff as a link worker who will:
• provide individual support
• keep records and monitor people’s needs
• be present at six weekly review meetings for people new to the centre and at annual reviews for others, so that support plans for the coming year can reflect the needs of the individual.


Users' elect their own representativeswho speak on their behalf and who meet regularly, with staff if they so wish, to discuss issues raised and how the amenity fund is used. We encourage people’s involvement with decision making at the centre, our aim being to enable people to help themselves and not to become dependent on others. This is supported by people:
• organising activities themselves whenever possible
• volunteering and helping with tasks, to allow greater responsibility in running the service.

Transport is not automatically provided for people attending Adult Care Services. User’s needs will be assessed by the local Adult Care Services Area Teams to see if any support is needed with travel, and a variety of options will be explored. Where it is identified that the person requires specialist transport, the Area Team worker will arrange for it. Where transport is provided by Adult Care Services there is a charge to the person of £2 per return journey if they are assessed as being able to pay.


A mobile sandwich service is available each day. Alternatively, there are microwave ovens available for use or people can bring their own packed lunch. A variety of food can be bought at the local shops and drinks are available throughout the day for which a small charge is made.

The centre is fully accessible for people with sensory needs and for people who use wheelchairs. We have specialist equipment for moving and handling and for eating and drinking.

The centre has a no smoking policy.

For more information, or to arrange a visit, please contact us directly on 01707 373259

If you would like to attend you need to contact your Social Worker or Occupational Therapist. If you have access to the internet, you may apply online for assistance with daily living at www.hertsdirect.org/acsgettinghelp. Alternatively, you can contact our Customer Service Centre: details can be found by selecting the link on the left of this page called 'Contact us'.