Matthew turns his hobby into a small business

Matthew has been living in one of Northcott’s houses in sunny Coffs Harbour since 2019. His top three favourite things to do are gardening, watching excavators and socialising downtown at local cafes. Matthew accesses our Supported Independent Living and Individual Supports services at Northcott Coffs Harbour.

Growing his garden

When we last chatted to Matthew he was working on his gardening and growing his large succulent collection. He comes from a family of farmers and absolutely loves working with plants.

“Once I learnt succulents could be propagated, I thought it would be a great thing to do myself” says Matthew.

From backyard gardens to local market stalls

At the time Matthew was looking forward to figuring out how to open a stall and start selling his plants. Through his connections with Northcott he learnt how Northcott’s Life Skills group at Coffs Harbour sometimes sell things at the local market.

Since June, he has been joining them twice a month and it has been going really well!

Matthew says, “It’s been a fantastic experience. I get to speak to new people in the community, and make friends while selling my plants. I am also able to make some money for myself and start saving.”

What’s next for Matthew?

Matthew hopes to be able to grow his stall and small business. His future goal is to eventually open up his own little succulent shop in a few years.

Well done, Matthew! We are so proud of your achievements and can’t wait to see the rest of your journey!