91Èȱ¬

To find out more about Thrive please go to:

Or write to: Thrive, The Geoffrey Udall Centre, Beech Hill, Reading, RG7 2AT

Or call: 0118 988 5688

For 80s pop star Kim Wilde, her roller-coaster career in the music industry started to take its toll on her mental health. She credits gardening and horticulture with helping her find balance in her life and regain her confidence.Ìý  

Kim now wants more people to realise the powerful benefits gardening can have and has launched a charity TV appeal with the 91Èȱ¬ to raise the awareness of Thrive. Thrive uses gardening to bring about positive changes in the lives of people who are living with disabilities or ill health, or those who are isolated, disadvantaged or vulnerable.

Kim says "I really believe in the benefits of being outdoors in a living, breathing garden. That’s why I think the work of Thrive is so important.

When I was 30 I was enjoying a successful music career, with platinum records and a European tour with Michael Jackson under my belt. I decided the time was right to lay down some roots and I moved into a 16th century barn that I renovated and treasured. To the outside world all seemed wonderful, but I was always plagued with anxiety and it badly affected my mental health.

One in four of us will experience issues with our mental health. Gardening really can help. It has been great therapy for me and can help people get back on top of things and restore balance when it feels like life is veering out of control."

Improving good health and wellbeing is at the heart of the work of Thrive, a national charity with gardens in Reading, London, Birmingham and Gateshead, and the breadth of their work is inspiring.

Using gardening to help people in this way is known as social and therapeutic horticulture, and there are many benefits; for example, the chance for people to learn and develop new skills in gardening and growing food. This knowledge leads to an increase in confidence and self-esteem, and for some people, like Trevor who features in the film, it can be a chance to achieve a formal qualification and employment in horticulture.

Gardening can make you fitter and healthier – Thrive’s Patron Sir Richard Thompson, former President of the Royal College of Physicians, advocates this.   

"I am so impressed by the work of Thrive and hope you can support this Lifeline Appeal so they can continue to use gardening and horticulture to help vulnerable people feel better and gain valuable life skills."

Kim Wilde is Patron of horticultural social enterprise  in Hertfordshire.

Thrive is the leading charity in the UK that uses gardening to bring about positive changes in the lives of people who are living with disabilities or ill health, or are isolated, disadvantaged and vulnerable.Ìý This is known as social and therapeutic horticulture.

With four regional centres in England, Thrive inspires and encourages people it helps focusing on what they can do, not on what they can’t.

Gardeners at Thrive are on a journey and the charity helps them move on and make improvements in their lives.

Thrive works with a wide range of people. People who have injuries from accidents; people with a learning impairment; people with a mental illness; people with a physical impairment such as sight or hearing loss; people with age-related conditions such as dementia, heart problems, diabetes or stroke; young people who have social, emotional or behavioural difficulties and people who have ill health after leaving the armed forces.

Thrive also carries out research in social and therapeutic horticulture and has bought together a lot of evidence to show how gardening brings about great changes. To spread this knowledge, Thrive runs training courses for anyone interested in using horticulture to help themselves, and others, improve health and well-being.

With your support, Thrive can help more people. It can expand its activities at its four centres in Reading, London, Birmingham and Gateshead and reach out to more people experiencing social isolation or vulnerability.

Thank you for your donation.Ìý

Follow Thrive on or .Ìý

Four years ago, Trevor had his dream job in a busy London restaurant. However, one night, he was struck down by a parasitic infection which meant he could no longer work.

Trevor said, "You’re living a very busy lifestyle, work lifestyle, socially you’re very busy. There are always a lot of demands and then you go to bed one night and the following day when you wake up your life has changed.

I was left with a lot of weakness and paralysis on my left hand side so I couldn't walk properly, I couldn't co-ordinate or lift up anything of a light nature, I couldn't cook for myself I couldn't do basic tasks, tie my shoelaces. You feel pretty distraught and destroyed by it."

Thrive have offered Trevor a route back to independence through their City and Guild accredited training and qualifications.

Trevor said, ‘If I know that I’m achieving something or know that I’m working towards achieving something it makes me feel good. It makes me feel like I've got a sense of purpose for myself again. I've got the opportunity to be outdoors and I've done something physical which will help my physical recuperation.’

Thanks to his new qualifications, he has found work at the Roof Gardens in Kensington, London.Ìý

Trevor said, "Thrive has given me a sense of future. Not only have I got my career planned out but I've got my confidence back."

54 year old Mel has a learning difficulty. She used to live with her parents who were her main carers but after losing her mum eight years ago and her dad two years ago, Mel was left devastated.

Mel said, "It’s just one big hole."

An introduction to Thrive opened up a new world for Mel to help her cope with feelings of isolation.

Mel said, "I love potting flowers, as I got more into Thrive I thought basically it got me confidence and I get there and see people and pick up on things and learn a lot. Being there all day, its done me the power of good."

Thanks to Thrive, Mel now has the confidence to live in her own flat.

She says, "It's freedom, it’s your own little bit of independence and I've really surprised myself. I feel as though now I’m part of a group and part of the family."