AWE has made a £5,000 donation to its charity partner Thrive. The funding is going towards personal protective equipment (PPE) allowing staff and clients to safely return to its Reading centre and continue its work as one of the leading gardening for health charities.
This is AWE’s third year supporting Thrive and the donation has provided face shields, masks, hand sanitiser and PPE consumables, plus gazebos allowing outside activities in the garden. Therapeutic horticulture programmes have recently resumed at Thrive and the PPE will assist with the phased return of client gardeners to a COVID-secure environment.
Thrive’s trained horticultural therapists work with clients so they can enjoy the health benefits that gardening, horticulture and spending time with nature can bring. The charity’s clients have a wide range of conditions, including physical or learning disabilities, mental health support needs, sensory loss or autism.
AWE’s Charity Fund Secretary, Michele Maidment, said: “Over the last few years our staff have really thrown their support behind Thrive through a mixture of fundraising, volunteering and donations, so we’re pleased to help them out during what has been a tough time for many local charities. Recently one staff member donated the £150 proceeds from a book sale to support Thrive work, which shows the ongoing commitment of our staff in supporting the charity’s work.”
Paul Scott, Thrive’s Regional Centre Manager in Reading, said “Our regional centres are now re-opening and we’re delighted to see the gradual return of our client gardeners. All our centres have extensive safety measures in place and a critical component of these is ensuring we have sufficient PPE stocks to maintain social distancing guidelines.”
“We are extremely grateful to AWE for this donation which supports our ability to maintain a supply of PPE and ensure those entrusted to our care, and all our staff and volunteers remain safe through this pandemic.”