General sessions - Birmingham

• Better physical health through being more active, developing strength, stamina, mobility, dexterity, and coordination
• Developing a sense of purpose and meaningful occupation
• Greater opportunity to connect with others, reducing feelings of isolation or exclusion
• Developing communication and teamwork skills
• Acquiring skills to lead a fuller and more independent life
• Improved cognitive skills by stimulating the senses and memory
• Making a positive contribution to the community
• Connecting with nature can also improve mental health and wellbeing

By working closely with each individual and their support network, Thrive's practitioners identify goals for each client gardener to work towards, using gardening tasks and the garden itself to build a set of activities to meet each person's needs.

Thrive Birmingham’s General Sessions programme offers tailored support in small groups of up to eight participants. Each group is supported by a trained practitioner and a number of dedicated volunteers. We aim to maintain good ratios so that the therapeutic intervention is maximised; this may be on a 1-1 basis for some people who require additional support at times, but we also work in larger groups, where there may be more of a focus on social interaction, facilitated discussion and group learning.

Participants engage in a range of gardening activities, such as sowing seeds, potting, and planting, which help develop gardening skills and boost confidence. There is the opportunity to grow vegetables, salads, and fruits to take home. This program is designed to support gaining greater independence and improving the overall quality of life.

General Sessions run on an ongoing basis the same day each week and client gardeners attend half or for the full day. All client gardeners are provided with safety boots, a Thrive T-shirt and the tools, equipment and horticultural supplies they will need during their sessions.

Most General Session clients attend a free half day taster session, then start with us on a half day before they progress to a full day.

Sessions start around 10am and finish at 3 pm, including regular tea breaks and a lunch break.

Cost

Places on this programme are charged at £37.50 for a half day and £75 for a full day, which can be covered through local authority funding, health services, or personal budgets. Many of our client gardeners in Birmingham use Direct Payments to fund their sessions.

Referrals

Referrals are accepted from various sources, including self-referrals, family members, GPs, social care providers, health professionals, educational institutions, residential settings, or the voluntary sector. Contact our office to make a referral or to arrange a free taster day to experience a garden session.

Greg has been attending general sessions at Thrive Birmingham since the beginning of 2024.

Initially, he would visit for half a day, but having quickly grown in confidence he now spends a full day at the gardens every week.