First Minister Alex Salmond has today officially opened the new Foxlane Gardening Centre in Aberdeenshire.

The garden centre now boasts a state-of-the-art retail and plant nursery facilities designed by Halliday, Fraser, Munro and constructed by Chap.

Mr Salmond toured the garden centre and plant nursery, which offers full-time work placements to eight local adults with learning disabilities to help them develop horticulture and interpersonal skills.

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First Minister Alex Salmond said: "Foxlane Garden Centre is a great example of a successful business making a valuable contribution to its local community.

"The Centre has become part of the fabric of Westhill through supporting a number of local church and charitable groups, and by offering employment opportunities to people with learning difficulties so that they can develop new skills and play an active role in the community.

"I am delighted to be opening the Foxlane Garden Centre and I am confident that this cooperative will continue to make a valuable contribution to the local community."

Managing Director of Foxlane Gordon Henderson said: "2010 is Foxlane's 20th anniversary and it's our first year in full plant production at our new site at Carnie, Westhill. We are delighted to have the First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, officially open our small independent garden centre."

(GK)