Arun, 29, is reaping manifold benefits from being a member of the Life Changers programme, which is run by national ‘gardening for health’ charity Thrive.

Arun (pictured above), who has a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis, uses a walking aid and struggles to make a cup of tea. According to Thrive, Arun’s health deteriorated when his treatment caused a brain injury and led to a rare neurological condition that mimics dementia, affecting his memory, cognition and ability to process everyday tasks. 

In hospital Arun found relief outside in the gardens. His neurologist understood the therapeutic value of nature which paved the way for his recovery.

‘When you’ve been ill for such a long time, it’s hard to figure out a way forward,’ he reflects. ‘Thrive offers that path and helped me to rebuild all the skills I needed to succeed and take on the world again.’

Gardening has helped to restore Arun’s health. When his condition flares up, time in the garden offers an immediate remedy.

Arun’s story is being featured by Thrive in the run-up to Christmas as an example of the impact of therapeutic gardening on people who use its gardens and receive tailored support and guidance.

‘When you’ve been ill for such a long time, it’s hard to figure out a way forward … Thrive offers that path’ [Arun]

Overcoming barriers

Reductions in depression, anxiety, stress and loneliness, and improvements in quality of life, wellbeing, life satisfaction, cognition, social cohesion and physical activity can all be achieved, according to Thrive. 

Yet, despite the health benefits, not everyone has easy access to gardens, gardening and nature activities. Time, space, lack of knowledge and cost can prevent people from doing gardening activities. And, while therapeutic gardening is especially beneficial to people experiencing ill-health, disabilities and disadvantage, there are additional barriers for these groups of people that make gardening more challenging. 

Thrive’s Christmas fundraising challenge

The Big Give Christmas Challenge is a collaborative fundraising campaign that champions charitable organisations through seven-days of match funding. 

From noon on 2 December to noon on 9 December, online donations to Thrive’s Big Give page will be generously doubled by their match funders – The Leisure and Outdoor Furniture Association and The Balcombe Charitable Trust. 

Edmund Jackson, Thrive’s fundraising manager, said: ‘We are creating a future where people with ill health, disability or disadvantage experience the life changing benefits of gardening and nature. The ‌Big Give Christmas Challenge is the biggest fundraiser of the year for us.

Edmund added: ‘Our target of £25,000 will help us to increase the number of gardening programmes we deliver, offer more training courses and invest more in our Get Gardening information. If you can, please give this week to double the magic of your donation, helping us to transform more lives through gardening.’ 

Three centres

At the charity’s centres in London, Birmingham and Reading and through its community outreach programmes, Thrive supports a growing number of people. It also offers training professionals and supplies online gardening guides for people living with health conditions or disabilities.

For more information about Thrive, click www.thrive.org.uk