The gardening for health charity
For over 40 years Thrive has been using gardening to bring about positive changes in the lives of people living with disabilities or ill health, or who are isolated, disadvantaged or vulnerable.
We are dedicated and passionate about the health benefits that gardening and spending time in nature can bring and champion this through our Social and Therapeutic Horticulture sessions in Reading, Birmingham and London.
We run sessions like Pots and Petals in Reading, Life Changers in Battersea or Sow and Grow in Birmingam, among many others, to bring about the positive transformations to the lives of the clients who visit Thrive. People like Effie, who lives with depression, make discoveries about themselves and say:
“I’ve learnt that I have a natural affinity with nature and an ability to put all life’s pressures to one side and be mindful in the garden”
In 2021 we delivered 2,248 gardening sessions to over 250 client gardeners as well as delivering training sessions to over 3,053 students budding to become the next horticultural therapists.
The Thrive Gardening Club sprouted in response to the mass feelings of isolation, anxiety and disconnection that came upon us all in the first lockdown and continues now. With over 2,300 subscribers the newsletters share hints and tips on how to use the gardening to better mental and physical health. The emails also help those with little or no garden engage with small spaces, public parks, and other green spaces.
In the future we have big plans to help support the NHS Social prescribing schemes to help even more people access the benefits of gardening for health but we need your help to make all this happen.
Without you, Thrive would be unable to provide the safe gardens and horticultural practitioners needed to carry out our STH sessions for so many people. Please consider donating the money raised from your unwanted car today to allow hundreds of more people like Effie change their lives.