Thrive - therapeutic gardening programmes
We offer therapeutic gardening programmes and support to hundreds of people in and around London who may have a defined health, social or educational need in four fantastic gardens in Battersea Park, as well as various outreach projects in the wider community.
Client gardeners attend our therapeutic gardening programmes in one of four gardens within Battersea Park - the Main Garden (where you'll find our office), the Herb Garden, the Winter Garden and the Old English Garden.
We use an approach called social and therapeutic horticulture (STH), where our team of trained horticultural therapists work with plants and people to improve an individual’s physical and psychological health, communication and thinking skills.
The horticultural therapists, together with our dedicated volunteers, take a person-centred approach; they work in a variety of ways - in small groups, which maintain good ratios so that the therapeutic intervention is maximised, on a 1-1 basis for people who may require additional support at times, and also in larger groups, where there may be more of a focus on social interaction, facilitated discussion and group learning.
Programmes / Age Range / Fees
Open to adults 18 and over with a wide variety of conditions such as moderate to severe mental ill-health, autism, physical disability and learning difficulties.
The horticultural therapists work with the individuals, their carers and/or support staff to devise goals to help individuals progress and/or recover.
The groups of up to 8 clients undertake a wide variety of tasks within the garden; sowing seeds, potting on, planting out, weeding and watering.
Places on this programme are charged at £60/day, typically funded from personal budgets, through the client’s local authority.
Click here for further details and to sign up.
Growing Out is a stepped programme run from Thrive’s gardens in Battersea Park for adults with mental ill-health, providing the focus of gardening as an avenue to start working with others, gaining trust, confidence and learning new skills.
It consists of two courses – Pathways and Level 1 (leading to City & Guilds Level 1 in Practical Horticulture Skills).
Trained horticultural therapists use the garden and jobs in the garden to build programmes to address the needs of each participant in order to improve health, wellbeing and become more active in their community.
Recruitment to the programme is on a rolling basis with beneficiaries working at their own pace, but typically taking between 12 and 18 months from starting Pathways to gaining Level 1 and being supported into their next opportunity.
Click here for further details and to sign up.
A programme to experience the joy of gardening for those with life changing conditions.
Whether recovering from a stroke, cancer or surgery, or living with a long term condition like diabetes or multiple sclerosis, people experiencing a life-changing health condition can experience the joy of gardening and increase the motivation and confidence to regain or maintain an active, healthy and independent life.
Trained horticultural therapists create seasonally appropriate gardening tasks with typical activities including seed sowing, propagation and potting on and planting out, planting salad/herb containers to encourage healthy eating, or craft activities eg Christmas wreaths.
Recruitment to the programme is on a rolling basis with beneficiaries attending for 6 months before being signposted to further opportunities.