If you visit Thrive’s Carry on Gardening website, you’ll recognise Ade Baker. The photos of Ade used on the website and in many of Thrive’s publications, show his considerable skill in gardening from a wheelchair and his unfailing 'try anything’ attitude.
Ade attends the Thrive Trunkwell Garden Project, near Reading in Berkshire, and as you can tell from his enthusiastic and infectious smile, he loves gardening.
The companionship of others and the friendships he has made at Thrive are particularly important to him, as is gaining new skills. Ade is very proud to be working towards a National Proficiency Test Council qualification in horticulture at level 3, which he started last year.
Ade says: "I particularly enjoy coming to Thrive as it gives me a sense of some independence and I am treated like an adult. The gardening tasks help me build my strength and stamina, which then help me do a few things for myself at home."
Ade’s hydrocephalus and epilepsy don’t stop him having a variety of interests. He enjoyed the scouts and loves going ten pin bowling, his week is spent at Thrive and at a day centre where he works on the computer, cooks up new and healthy food, and paints with oils. A favourite gardening job is growing from seed and Ade is an expert on sowing, pricking out and potting on.
Thank you for caring.