Nick Gibb was invited to pay a special visit to the Aldingbourne Trust's Country Centre to see first hand the work the charity does to support adults with learning disabilities to live independently.
The visit also gave Aldingbourne clients the chance to ask Mr Gibb questions about the future of support for people with disabilities.
Mr Gibb participated in the access music group where he was shown the various green ventures such as the grass roof bothy, timber recycling scheme and wood-burner heating system for the site.
An Aldingbourne spokesperson said: “Mr Gibb agreed that the services the charity provided at the country centre for people with disabilities was essential and praised the vital work that is being done to support people with learning disabilities.
“Mr Gibb was impressed with the various enterprises at the country centre and admired the projects the Aldingbourne clients were working on in wood and furniture restoration."
The Aldingbourne Trust offers supported on-the-job training, life skills coaching, community learning and tailored packages to help every adult with a learning disability to contribute to their community.
To find out more visit www.aldingbournetrust.co.uk