Partnering with Perrywood Garden Centres

The challenge

Perrywood Garden Centres sought to enhance the confidence and capabilities of their management team in supporting neurodivergent colleagues. As a growing business with a strong focus on people and community, they recognised the importance of inclusive communication and meaningful support, particularly in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment.

Their goal was clear: to equip managers with the understanding and practical skills to hold better conversations with neurodivergent staff, creating a workplace where everyone feels heard, supported, and able to perform at their best.

What we found

Our initial conversations showed that Perrywood’s leaders already had a strong foundation of empathy and care. However, as in many organisations, managers wanted greater clarity and confidence in how to translate this into everyday practice, especially when it came to discussing neurodiversity or individual support needs.

We also found that while some successful strategies were already being used in parts of the business, they had not yet been consistently shared across teams. There was a clear opportunity to bring people together to reflect, learn, and exchange ideas.

What we did

We designed and delivered a two-part training programme for two cohorts of Perrywood managers.
The first session focused on building awareness and understanding, exploring what neurodiversity means in practice and how to hold supportive, constructive conversations with team members. The second session was a practical workshop, providing managers with the opportunity to apply their learning, share experiences, and reflect on what was working well and where challenges persisted.

Each session provided space for open discussion, enabling participants to learn from one another while developing concrete strategies for use in their day-to-day management.

The results

The sessions prompted rich reflection and insight across both cohorts. Managers identified common challenges, surfaced practical ideas, and shared examples of strategies that had worked effectively in other areas of the organisation.

By creating a space for honest discussion and shared learning, Perrywood strengthened its collective understanding of how to support neurodivergent colleagues and fostered a more confident, connected management team. The programme laid the groundwork for continued conversation and collaboration around inclusion across the business.