Thrive is a national charity whose mission is to research, educate and promote the use and advantages of gardening for people with a disability.

Links

Topics on our links page

> Garden Projects

> Gardening, horticulture and environmental organisations

> Overseas horticultural therapy

> Research

> Other UK sites of interest

    Disability

    Learning Difficulties

    Mental Health

    Older People

    General Interest

Garden Projects

Bridewell Organic Gardens  

Dartford Road Allotments Association
Has plots for people with mental health problems and plots under construction for those with physical disabilities.

Deen City Farm Morden, South London  

Growability
Providing training and experience in horticulture for adults with disabilities at three sites in Northumberland, and selling unusual perennials and organic vegetables tot he public.

Growing Places Berkshire 
A garden project for adults with learning difficulty.

Ladywell Day Centre Garden Project, Lewisham, London (see Gardening on Cyberzone)

Spadework Nursery, Kent 
Provides work training to prepare people for independent living.

Stallcombe House 
A residential community near Exeter.

Gardening, horticulture and environmental organisations  

Allotments Regeneration Initiative 
Is a partnership between the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (NSALG), the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG) and QED Allotments Group.

Botanic Gardens Education Network
BGEN promotes and advances the delivery of education in botanic gardens and other centres of environmental education in Britain and Ireland.

BTCV 
Promotes practical conservation work with volunteers.

BUPA 
Information about the health benefits of gardening.

Commonground
Improving the quality of everyday places.

Cultivations 
Breaking New Ground.

Fieldfare Trust
Promotes access to the countryside and environmental education for people with disabilities.

Gaia
The Foundation for Sustainable Development.

The Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Society
Is the only UK charity dedicated to helping horticulturists in need, providing a range of support services for those who are working in, have worked in or retired from the industry.

Local Food Works 
Is a partnership project between the Soil Association and the Countryside Agency to foster sustainable local food systems through the development of local food networks.

Lantra 
National training organisation for the land based sector.

Learning through Landscapes 
Working to transform the educational landscape.

The National Gardens Scheme
Thrive gardens at Battersea Park, St Mary's and Trunkwell are all open under this scheme. 

Perennial – Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Society 
Is the only UK charity dedicated to helping horticulturists in need, providing a range of support services for those who are working in, have worked in or retired from the industry.

Red Cross Open Gardens

Royal Horticultural Society

Ryton Organic Gardens/Henry Doubleday Research Association    

Sensory Gardens by Elizabeth Heard

The Sensory Trust
Communicate between disability groups and environmental organisations.

The Soil Association 
Research and promote organic farming.

Social Firms UK 
Businesses set up specifically to create employment for disabled people.

The Tree Council 
Promote the planting and conservation of trees and woods.

Overseas horticultural therapy

Allergy free gardening
Site promoting a book but includes useful links.  Copy of book in Thrive library at Reading.

American Horticultural Therapy Association (USA)    

Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association

Gesellschaft fur gartenbau und therapie (Germany - English version of the website)

Garden Guides (USA) 
Article on favourite gardening tools.

Garden Forever
Many links to gardening information for different needs.

Gardening Launchpad (USA)
Gardening links site with a section on horticultural therapy.

Gardenscape 

Garden tools for all ages and abilities.

Global Garden (Australia) 
Guidance to gardening within your capabilities and degree of mobility.

Greenweb (Australia) 
Horticultural Therapy Association of Victoria are a contributor to Greenweb.

Greenleaf Industries (USA)
Horticultural sheltered workshop including retail nursery.

Horticultural Therapy Institute 
Denver, Colorado.

Horticultural Therapy Society of NSW (Australia)  
 
I can garden (Canada)

Korean Horticultural Therapy Association
Text is in Korean .

Melwood Training Center (USA)

Provide greater choices for independent living.  See the 'Internships' section for information on horticultural therapy.

People Plant Council (USA)

Plants for People (Netherlands)   

Susan Tomlin's gardening experiences (Canada)

Windowbox (US) 
Provide useful information on growing in containers and give a percentage of their profits to community gardens.  Have horticultural therapy links.

Research

Growing Together
A three year research project promoting social inclusion, health and well-being for vulnerable adults through the use of horticulture and gardening.

Other UK sites of interest

Disability

Action for Blind People
Provide free and confidential support for blind and partially sighted people in all aspects of their lives.

British Council of Disabled People 

Umbrella organisation for groups of disabled people .

Centre for Accessible Environments

Committed to the provision of buildings and places accessible to all, and to the enhancement of quality in design.

Disabilitynet
Information for disabled people, including shopping online.

Disabled Living Foundation 
Aim to make everyday life easier for disabled people, older people and carers.

Disability Now Magazine    

Disability organisations 
Extensive personal list by Hugo Sasse.

Disabilityworld.com   
Many links to information for people with disabilities.

Disability Rights Commission   
Aim is to eliminate discrimination against disabled people.  Extensive range of links.

Eyecan
Braille transcription and tuition; visual impairment awareness training

Focus on Disability 
Address information of many disability organisations.

Parkinson's Disease Society 
Support, advice and information to people with Parkinson’s, their carers, families and friends, and to health and social services professionals involved in management and care.

REMAP 
Charity that provides one-off technical aids for disabled people.

RADAR

RNIB

Shaw Trust   
National charity helping disabled and disadvantaged people to find employment and training opportunities.

The National Talking Newspapers and Magazines (TNAUK)
A charity which brings print to life by transcribing a wide variety of popular newspapers and magazines into a range of accessible formats for blind, visually-impaired and print-disabled people. 

Learning Difficulties

British Institute of Learning Disabilities

Department of Health: Learning Disabilities First Step Trust 
Project to provide employment.

Mencap

Foundation for People with Learning Difficulties

Mental Health

The Alzheimer's Society 
Provides care and research for people with all forms of dementia, their families and carers.

Dementia Services Development Centres providing information, training, consultancy, research and general support to professionals and volunteers working in the field of dementia care:-

Dementia Services Development Centre 
University of Stirling Stirling FK94LA.

Dementia Voice 
Blackberry Hill Hospital, Manor Road, Fishponds, Bristol BS16 2EW.

Department of Health: National Director for Mental Health 

Provides online feedback forms for opinions on mental health treatment.

The London Centre for Dementia Care

The London Centre for Dementia Care focus on the continuing development of good practice in dementia care in London. The London branch is part of a national network of Dementia Services Development Centres across the UK.

Mental Health Foundation

MIND

rethink severe mental illness 

Sainsbury Centre 
Researches the impact of policy changes on mental health services and evaluates and develops innovative projects.

Older People

Age Concern

BUPA Carehomes 
For information and advice on finding long term care for a loved one.

Centre for Policy on Ageing 
Also runs a service called AgeInfo.

Help the Aged 
Works to ensure vulnerable older people are able to live independent lives. See the SeniorSafety  section about Independant Living including the development of gardening programmes.

Laterlife.com 
Is a website that aims to represent a different outlook and to maximise the enjoyment and ability to live life to the full as people get older.

General Interest

Berkshire Community Foundation 
Website for charities in Berkshire.  BCT has provided funding for Thrive Trunkwell Garden Project.

Direct Gov
Public services all in one place.

Elisabeth's Garden
A web resource for people with visual impairment.

Ethical Junction 
Aim to develop and expand the ethical sector through professional support and promotion of member organisations.

Kings Fund
Research and development to bring about better health policies and services.

Joseph Rowntree Foundation
UK's largest social policy and research and development charity.

National Electronic Health Library   
NHS website to give easy access to knowlege which can support healthcare related decisions.

National Information Forum
Encourage the provision of accessible information to anyone disadvantaged in gaining information.

NCVO 
Information for the voluntary sector.



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Did you know?
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