Thyme to garden
We’ve been putting our green fingers to use to support national gardening for health charity, Thrive Birmingham. Our team helped them prepare for their upcoming plant sale open days. As our chosen corporate charity for five years, we were keen to pick up the gardening gauntlet at the charity’s Kings Heath centre and get up close with nature. As a result, tasks we got stuck into included:
- building a new compost area
- constructing and painting tables
- creating new, ‘no dig’ plant beds
- jet washing pathways
Our hard work will help the charity prepare for planned public open days. These days are set to include garden tours and plant sales to help raise vital funds for the charity. In fact there were plenty of jobs to go around and bring out the springtime beauty of the gardens.
However, these activities did not only support Thrive’s open days. Our regular volunteering commitment helps their staff with ongoing garden maintenance. As a result it ensures the local community continues to benefit from the centre’s diverse service offering.
About Thrive
Established by young horticulturist, Chris Underhill, in 1979, Thrive uses social therapeutic horticulture and gardening to support individuals and change lives. Consequently, Thrive Birmingham is one of three centres across the UK, with the others located in Reading and Battersea. The charity’s diverse community of client gardeners includes people with:
- learning or physical disabilities
- mental health support needs
- sensory loss or autism
- social, emotional or behavioural difficulties
With a set number of public guided tour days and plant sales, the charity’s centres are primarily used by its client gardeners to learn, combat isolation and develop social skills.
For more information on Thrive, or to make a donation, visit the charity’s website.
April is a wonderful time to be in the Thrive garden. As the flowers bloom it gives us the opportunity to help the charity prepare for the busy spring and summer ahead. Much like our own outdoor spaces, the Thrive gardens need constant maintenance. Our help was much appreciated, particularly after months of wet weather. Having green space like this available for people to spend time in is invaluable for the client gardeners, local people and for our team too. Gardening is a great way for us to team build, immerse ourselves in nature, and most importantly, give something back to our community.