Thrive gardeners growing for Chelsea
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Read all about the Thrive disabled gardeners who will be helping to grow some of the plants for Thrive's Chelsea garden.
Some of the plants for the garden will be grown and nurtured by Thrive's gardeners at the Trunkwell Garden Project near Reading, Berkshire, and the Battersea Garden Project in Battersea Park, London.
The designer, Jo Thompson, will make her selection from Thrive's plants to appear in the garden alongside plants grown by professional breeders and growers including Roger Platt and Iris of Sissinghurst. The plants not selected for the show will be sold at Thrive’s Battersea Garden Project during and after the show.
Mark
Mark is one of the 500,000 people in the UK who are living with a long term disability caused by traumatic brain injury. "Coming to Thrive helped me come to terms with my new life and allowed me to look to the future, rather than the past."
Four years ago, Mark’s life changed forever when he was seriously injured in a road accident. He was a passenger in a friend’s car which flipped onto its roof, careered down an embankment, and crashed into a tree. Mark’s brain injuries were so serious that he was put into a coma for 5 months to give his body time to recover. When he left hospital, he spent two years in a residential care home for people who have severe head injuries.
Through a structured therapeutic gardening programme tailored to meet his needs, Thrive has helped Mark rebuild his physical stamina. He has been able to change his attitudes and beliefs about himself. Mark now has optimism about the future, as well as the skills and support he needs to make adjustments to his new life circumstances.
Mark says: "When I started at Thrive I felt like a baby, and now I feel like an adult again."
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Karen
Karen is a great example of a disabled person who has gained a qualification and skills in horticulture and has managed to move her life on and work as a volunteer. She now helps each week at The Vyne, a National Trust property in Hampshire.
Karen has learning difficulties as a result of mild epilepsy in childhood and this set her back in school. When she first came to Thrive she was very quiet and shy, with low self-esteem and no self-confidence. However, being at Thrive and taking a qualification in horticulture has increased her confidence and given her the opportunity to move on in life.
Karen is thoroughly enjoying being part of the team of Thrive gardeners who are growing and nurturing plants for Thrive’s garden at Chelsea. Karen says "Coming to Thrive makes me feel excited. It means I meet lots of people and it makes me feel good about myself." |
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Tony
Tony fell in love with Thrive from his very first day in the garden. He has been blind since birth and grew up on a farm, so he loves the outdoors.
He particularly likes any noisy machinery, especially the shredder and petrol mower. Tony's sight loss is no obstacle to using such garden equipment, he is highly knowledgeable about health and safety issues and his physical strength and confidence allow him to handle grass cutting with minimal supervision.
"Thrive has given me the chance to become more independent, have more trust in people and be able to take more responsibility for myself in my life."
Tony has gained NPTC qualifications and is going to continue his studies. At Thrive he participates in a community project working in people's gardens and is involved with conservation work at The Vyne, a National Trust property near Basingstoke.
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Leslie
Leslie first came to Thrive in 2007 following his stroke and has since had several subsequent mini strokes. He has no vision in his right eye and is registered blind. Leslie really enjoys gardening with Thrive and all that he achieves at Thrive’s Trunkwell Garden Project.
Leslie’s wife says: "Leslie would come to Trunkwell every day if he could. We know all about the different areas of the garden and when he comes home he talks about where he has been working and what he has been doing.
"Leslie has definitely changed for the better since starting at Trunkwell, he looks healthier and seems much more positive.
"When Leslie was off recuperating from his last stroke, all he talked about was returning to Thrive and the garden." |
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