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 Sir Richard Carew Pole, President of the RHS, and Bill Simpson, Chairman of Thrive, signed
a Memorandum of Agreement on 1st July 2002 at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
preview.
Announcing the new partnership, Sir Richard said: "The RHS and Thrive share a common
mission to enrich people's lives through gardening. As the larger organisation, which
promotes gardening and helps gardeners in many different ways, I hope that the RHS will be
able to help Thrive raise its profile and reach out to both those who need its help and
those who can support its work. In turn, the RHS stands to reach those parts of the
gardening community in which Thrive has particular expertise, that we might otherwise find
it difficult to reach." Bill Simpson is delighted with the new partnership.
"Thrive has just started a three-year research programme to explore why gardening can
confer the social and therapeutic benefits it does - particularly for vulnerable, isolated
or disabled people. But it's equally important to make sure that everyone who wants to can
enjoy the simple rewards of gardening. GMTV's super Get Up & Give appeal running this
week is helping us to raise funds and awareness; and this new partnership with the RHS is
the ideal way to further promote the benefits of gardening to the whole community."
Joint ventures under discussion include the development of training courses and advice
aimed at the general public on subjects such as gardening in later life, sensory gardens
and easier gardening tools and techniques, to enable older and disabled people to carry on
gardening and retain their independence. There are also plans for literature on social and
therapeutic horticulture, mutual referral between the organisations' advisory services,
and web site links.
* Thrive enables disadvantaged, disabled and older people to participate fully in
the social and economic life of the community, through gardening. In short, Thrive uses
gardening and horticulture to enrich people's lives
* Thrive runs four garden projects in Battersea, Hackney, Warwickshire and
Berkshire, and supports a Network of over 1600 projects across the UK - where gardening is
used for programmes of training and employment, therapy and health
* Thrive provides expert advice on easier gardening - enabling thousands of older
and disabled people to enjoy the benefits of gardening
* Thrive also researches and promotes the benefits of horticultural activity -
increasing understanding and awareness of the power gardening has to change people's lives
* The Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2002, in association with the Daily Mail, is
on 2-7 July 2002 (2 and 3 reserved for RHS Members and sponsor guests) in the grounds of
Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, Ticket Hotline (Public) 0870 906 3791. RHS
Show information 020 7649 1885; online bookings and information
www.rhs.org.uk/hamptoncourt. Ticket
prices range from £9.50 - £25
* The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804, is Britain's gardening
charity and it is committed to the encouragement and improvement of the science, art and
practice of horticulture. Renowned for its outstanding gardens and inspirational flower
shows, the Society is a key source of advice and information for all gardeners. It
encourages gardening through its publications, trials, lectures, education programmes and
scientific research and is home to the Lindley Library, which contains the most
comprehensive collection of horticultural books in the world
* Membership of the Royal Horticultural Society offers many exclusive benefits
including a monthly copy of The Garden magazine, free entrance to over 100 beautiful
gardens, free seeds, free gardening advice and privileged tickets to 19 RHS Flower Shows,
including the Chelsea Flower Show. Membership costs £30 a year plus a one off £7
enrolment fee. For further enquiries contact: Membership Department, Royal Horticultural
Society, PO Box 313, London SW1P 2PE, tel 020 7821 3000 Monday - Friday 9.30am - 5.00pm or
visit the RHS Website www.rhs.org.uk
website: www.thrive.org.uk
Charity no:
277570
Company no: 1415700
Thrive is the national horticultural charity that uses gardening to
improve the lives of disabled, disadvantaged and older people. I have been spotlighting
some news from Thrive in my last three columns and you can read about them
below:
International flower
artist arranges £1,842 for charity
Gardening is the nation`s
favourite pastime
Thrive in the morning with
GMTV appeal
Thrive at BBC Gardeners'
World Live
Thrive`s short educational
courses
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