"I used to get bad mood swings but going into the garden and having a purpose in life has helped to reduce those"
Gavin has achieved fantastic progress during his time at the Thrive Battersea Garden Project. He first came to Thrive in 2001, 12 years after he was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Today, Gavin is looking forward to independence. After 7 years working with Thrive’s therapists as a client, he joined our supported volunteer project and then moved on to a part-time paid job. He is also working as a volunteer in the research laboratory at King’s College London, a really positive move for him as before his illness he was a biochemist at St Mary’s hospital in Paddington.
Commenting on how schizophrenia affected him, Gavin says: "I had great problems reacting to my environment. I would walk into a room and feel as if I was in a trance. Gardening has helped me overcome that. At Thrive, you do a full day which helps to build stamina and helps you get back into a work routine. There is also a fantastic mix of people there and my social life has taken off.
"My doctors say that since I started gardening, the improvement has been obvious. They hope that soon I will be able to move into a house or flat of my own. I just hope it has a garden!"
Gavin has given interviews about his experience at Thrive, has written articles for Thrive’s journal GrowthPoint, and has produced a research paper on gardening and mental health. He has also recently completed a video course and has taken the Royal School of Music Grade 6 exam on the violin. These are things which he admits he wouldn’t have dreamt of doing a few years ago.
Thank you for caring.