Bob's story
Bob had experienced a long term illness which had affected his life - Thrive and our Growing 4 Life programme helped. Read how here.
Anna's story
Eighty five people like Anna (not her real name), who have experienced mental distress, have been helped by Thrive in the past year. Read Anna's story here.
Celia Carter
Celia Carter had started feeling lonely and isolated during the start of the year. The snow kept her inside her warm home and visitors were few and far between. She’d lost her husband eight years ago, her beloved dog died a year later, and her only son lives away. Then she found Thrive and came on our Sow and Grow programme.
Read Celia's story...
Tom's story
After Tom Watson, a European wakeboarding champion, was seriously injured in an horrific car accident when he was just 21 he was told he would probably never walk or talk again.
Read Tom's story...
Rob works it out
Rob met a Thrive horticulture therapist when he was in a psychiatric hospital where he was receiving treatment for paranoid schizophrenia.
He started coming to Thrive on day release from the hospital and credits Thrive with getting him to a 'really good place’.
Read Rob's story...
Caroline Payne
Dedicated volunteers are a critical part of Thrive’s team. Through their time and generosity they help us make the most of our limited resources. Meet Caroline Payne from Crowthorne, Berkshire who volunteers at our Trunkwell Garden near Reading...
Read Caroline's story...
Neil's story
Neil Stone came to Thrive after his stroke.
Find out more about Neil
Simon's story
Simon, a former microbiologist and senior manager, was just 49 when he first started having problems with his memory, concentration and initiating new projects. He took early retirement when he was 50, but his condition was still undiagnosed and mistaken for other issues such as depression and 'mid-life crisis’.
Find out more about Simon
Anne-Marie's story
Before her stroke, Anne-Marie was a busy mother of three in her 50s working as a librarian. Afterwards, she joined the 250,000 people who every year have to live with disabilities caused by stroke. She was at home one Sunday evening when she collapsed and found herself unable to call out, to move, to summon help in any way.
Find out more about Anne-Marie
Mark's story
"Coming to Thrive helped me come to terms with my new life and allowed me to look to the future, rather than the past." Four years ago, Mark’s life changed forever when he was seriously injured in a road accident, which is something that could happen to any of us.
Find out more about Mark
Ade's story
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.
Find out more about Ade
Sarah's story
Although Sarah enjoys many different hobbies and interests ranging from golf to sailing, she hadn’t considered gardening until she went on one of Thrive’s weekends to help blind and partially sighted people start or continue gardening.
Find out more about Sarah
Jimmy's story
It wasn’t long ago that Jimmy was a quiet and withdrawn young man whose mental health issues meant that to him, life felt rather dark. He came across as uncooperative and difficult to get to know.
Find out more about Jimmy
Colin's story
At 19 years old, just as he was starting out on a career in horticulture, a stroke robbed Colin of his mobility, dexterity and memory. He could hardly write or draw, the right side of his body just didn’t want to work.
Find out more about Colin
Ian's story
Before his stroke, gardening was Ian’s passion and he ran a landscaping business to support his young family. He was 40 years old when his stroke left him paralysed all down one side.
Find out more about Ian
Gavin's Story
"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 in 2001, 12 years after he was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Find out more about Gavin