At Thrive we know the very real benefits that can be gained from gardening by anyone with a disability, and this new free CD, recorded and produced with help from RNIB, aims to inspire newly diagnosed blind and partially sighted people to continue working in and enjoying their garden.
There are inspirational accounts from seven visually impaired gardeners on the CD and they each tell their story and give their favourite gardening tips and ideas.
Sally went blind suddenly when she was 23 years old: "When you go blind suddenly, it’s a Dickens of a blow. Nobody would pretend that it isn't – but you’re still the same person. Yes, you've had a hell of a shock and it’s a huge, huge blow – but I don't need to go on about that – I just got on and did what I could [in the garden]."
Harry was sighted until he was 37, but then lost his sight gradually though retinitis pigmentosa: "I had grounding in gardening before I lost my sight but for the last 28 years, I have been gardening as a blind man. If you have got a lot of sight and lose a little, you don't miss it, but at the end of the day, when you have got a little sight and you lose a little, it becomes a lot. "
Harry’s prize-winning allotment provides him with plenty of fresh produce and a lot of enjoyment. As Harry tells you on the CD, his allotment and garden are also his life. The photo shows Harry and his guide dog, Spencer.
To request a copy of the free CD for yourself, or for a visually impaired friend or relative, contact our
Information Service or call us on 0118 988 5688.
Alternatively, you can write to us: Thrive, The Geoffrey Udall Centre, Beech Hill, Reading RG7 2AT.