A READING gardening for health charity seeks volunteers to help with therapeutic gardening at its Beech Hill centre.
Thrive has been transforming lives through gardening for over 45 years, through the life-changing benefits of its therapeutic gardening and nature programmes at its three gardens in Birmingham, London and Reading.
Its support volunteers work alongside practitioners, helping hundreds of client gardeners who may be disabled, experiencing ill-health, or disadvantaged.
Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) training is given to practitioners, and online gardening advice is available for disabled people and those living with health conditions.
Thrive currently seeks volunteers who want to do something worthwhile for others, have a passion for gardening and nature, or who simply want to gain experience.
Gardening knowledge isn’t necessary, it says, but volunteers must be regularly available one week day each week from 9.45am until 3.15pm.
One volunteer said: “Thrive is fulfilling.
“I love my volunteer days, which help affirm how restoring nature can be, and what a positive role gardening plays for mental health and wellbeing.”
Another said: “Thrive, Reading is a very special place that I believe has great benefits for not only the clients but also for all those that volunteer or work there.
“I cannot emphasise enough the value of the work.
“Over the years, I have seen something wonderful nearly every time I volunteer from changes in the garden to changes in the clients.”
Volunteer taster sessions are a great way to discover more, says the charity.
The next taster sessions at the Beech Hill centre are on Thursday May 21, and on Wednesday, June 3, from 10:30am until 12:30pm on both days.
For information, and to register interest, visit: thrive.org.uk, call: 0118 9884844, or email: trunkwell@thrive.org.uk.
