Who We Are

Olivia is the co-founder and chair of the trustees of Horatio’s Garden charity. Horatio was her eldest son.

Olivia trained in medicine at St Thomas’s Hospital London, followed by postgraduate training at The Royal Free Hospital and worked as a general practitioner until 2011. She served as a charity Board Director for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation until 2012. As a GP she was an advocate of the benefits of gardens and gardening and has seen first-hand how the natural environment can comfort and enhance wellbeing.

In 2017 Olivia was awarded a Points of Light award by the Prime Minister for voluntary service.

David has been a Consultant Spinal Surgeon for the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre at Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust and at New Hall Hospital, Salisbury, Wiltshire since 2001.

David Chapple qualified at St Thomas’s Hospital Medical School in 1990. He trained as a spinal and general orthopaedic surgeon at St George’s Hospital Medical School, London and completed a specialist Spinal Research and Surgical Fellowship in at The Royal Adelaide University Hospital, Australia.

David is very involved with the spinal surgery community as a member of the British Association of Spinal Surgeons and the British Orthopaedic Association. David is widely respected as a senior, experienced spinal surgeon amongst colleagues and staff.

Horatio was David’s eldest son and they worked together on the initial patient research to form the concepts for the charity.

Catherine Burns is a retired solicitor who has been active in the charitable sector throughout her professional life and since retirement. Her involvement with Horatio’s Garden stemmed from visiting a friend who was a patient in the Spinal Unit in Glasgow. She recognised the potential of the outside space and subsequently spearheaded the fundraising campaign for Horatio’s Garden Scotland. She became a trustee in 2016.

Catherine is very interested in gardens and their health benefits. She is a keen gardener and a Fellow of the RHS. She is married to Richard and has a daughter, Mary. She divides her time between Edinburgh and Berwickshire, with regular trips to Glasgow!

David Gregg is a teacher and Deputy Head at Eton College. He took a degree in Politics at Queen’s University, Belfast, subsequently attending Oxford University as a postgraduate. He previously taught at Wellington College and Bradfield College, was Chief Examiner in Government and Politics, and has published on both history and political philosophy.
David came to Eton in 1993 as Head of Economics and Politics and was a House Master from 2000 to 2013. He was Horatio Chapple’s House Master from 2007-2011.

David has coached rugby and cricket at Eton, and is an experienced Field Game umpire. An enthusiastic sailor, David crossed the Atlantic during his sabbatical in 2013, raising funds for Horatio’s Garden. He is currently Deputy Head (Pastoral) where he has overall responsibility for the welfare of the boys. His role involves oversight of boarding provision and the work of 25 House Masters, as well as all aspects of pastoral care. He is also the Designated Safeguarding Lead and deals with all child protection matters as the head of the school’s safeguarding team.

Lisa Stratton has worked extensively in both the charitable and strategic marketing sectors over the last thirty years. Having started a PR Company in her early twenties and The Honeypot Charity in her mid twenties, Lisa has extensive experience in both strategic marketing and communications as well as the machinations of successfully running both a business and a charity.

Lisa is passionate about applying the principles of managing a sustainable business to the charity sector to ensure a professional, efficient and intelligent approach.
Lisa lives near Salisbury with her family and works as a brand marketing and communications consultant in London.

Following a degree in three dimensional design, Victoria worked as a marketing manager focusing on new product development. In 2002, she sustained a spinal cord injury, breaking her neck at C5 while skydiving in Spain which resulted in permanent paralysis from below the shoulders down.

Victoria served as a trustee and director of two charities related to spinal cord injuries before joining the Horatio’s Garden board of trustees in 2013.

After graduating from Oxford University, Richard qualified as an accountant with Price Waterhouse. He then spent 25 years in Corporate Finance with Hill Samuel Bank and Close Brothers. He has chaired several companies and is still active as a Non-Executive Director.

Richard is married to Miranda and lives in Sussex. They have four adult daughters.

Mark has spent a career in financial services, in the private sector in senior roles at Deutsche Bank, ICAP plc and UBS AG as well as in the public sector as an External Member of one of the key policy committees at the Bank of England. He is currently Chair of the leading standards setting body for global wholesale financial markets, an investor in and board member of a number of fintech companies and funds, and sits on the Steering Committee for the Devon Environment Foundation.

In previous years, Mark has also served on the boards of a number of international financial sector industry bodies, and in the UK on the board of the Centre for Social Justice and the Development Board for the Francis Crick Institute.

James is one of the UK's foremost garden designers. He brought Horatio's Garden Scotland to life and has also created countless other stunning gardens from the Western Isles to the outskirts of Moscow. Additionally, he is an award-winning writer, compelling speaker, frequent broadcaster and an elected member of the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). He is Chairman of the RHS Gardens Committee and is also an RHS judge.

"Horatio's Garden has a dual purpose. Firstly to commemorate and remember the life of a young man, and secondly to bring the power of gardens to those suffering from spinal injuries. Imagine for a moment how your lives would be lessened by being unable to dig a hole or even bend down to pull an offending thistle. Gardening is such a powerful force and Horatio's Garden will mean that those in spinal centres across the UK can still see the bees fly, smell the warm jasmine and listen to the birds sing."

"Horatio's Garden has provided a turning point in the care of people in the spinal units where they are now available. I hope that one day, every one of us, the people living with the legacy of a spinal injury, will have started their journey of rehabilitation with a Horatio's Garden as the font of their recovery."

Annie Maw is the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset. Annie is a wheelchair user after being injured and becoming paraplegic in a riding accident in 2002 and spending many months in the spinal injuries centre in Salisbury. Annie was a founding trustee of Horatio's Garden and her experience and ideas shaped the design of the charity's first garden in Salisbury.

"I believe that Horatio's Garden will be an important and beautiful creation that will contribute enormously to the well being of Scottish spinal patients. I remember the grimness of the courtyard in Glasgow and what a garden, such as you plan, would have done to lift my spirits."

Melanie is an award winning columnist for the Times newspaper and writes 'Spinal Column' each week in the Times Saturday colour supplement. Melanie broke her back riding in 2010 and is now tetraplegic. Following her accident Melanie spent 12 months in the Scottish National Spinal Injuries Unit in Glasgow. Her book 'The World I Fell Out Of' was published in 2019 and chronicles her experiences in the aftermath of paralysis.

"I am delighted to support Horatio's Garden. Over the years some of my main interests have been in quality of life and well-being for those who are unwell. This can be influenced by many things, including the environment of care. A garden can make all the difference to someone who needs help and support."

Sir Kenneth Calman is the former Chief Medical Officer of Scotland, and then England. In his medical career Sir Kenneth worked as a surgeon, oncologist and cancer researcher. He was the UK Representative at the World Health Organisation and chaired its Executive Committee. Sir Kenneth was also Chair of the Board of Trustees of the National Trust for Scotland and is currently Chair of the Board of National Library of Scotland.

"I am aware how much pleasure and real enjoyment patients get from gardens in hospitals and how in addition they aid recovery. This is especially so with patients confined to a bed or wheel chairs. Horatio's Garden at the Scottish National Spinal Injuries Unit at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow is a huge asset and a very worthwhile supporting."

Sir James Stirling is a retired Scottish army officer and chartered surveyor, who served as Lord Lieutenant of Stirling and Falkirk from 1983 to 2005. He was a partner at K. Ryden and Partners and also sat on the boards of Woolwich Building Society and the Scottish Widows and Life Insurance Fund. He holds the Order of the British Empire and is a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. He is a knowledgeable and keen gardener.

"A garden is ‘the purest of human pleasures’, in the words of Francis Bacon, so Horatio Chapple’s vision of creating gardens to be enjoyed by patients with spinal injuries was truly inspired.

I am delighted to be an Ambassador of Horatio’s Garden, at the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit in Glasgow - the only spinal injury centre in Scotland. It is with great excitement that we open the second Horatio's Garden making Horatio's vision become a reality for patients from all over Scotland who have been injured. I look forward to watching this new garden grow and seeing it bring pleasure to many in Horatio’s memory."

Helen Rosslyn is an art historian who has presented the acclaimed BBC series on art and is Director of the London Original Print Fair and the Arts editor for Tatler.

"Being an ambassador for Horatio’s Garden is a tremendous honour and, for me, a chance to demonstrate what I have always believed - that gardens and gardening are great healers. It is all too easy to lose touch with reality today - the reality that is rooted in nature and gardens and which is far more durable than the day-to-day worries of most mortals. Horatio’s Garden uses outdoor spaces to provide solace, respite and understanding of the values of the natural world to those who will benefit from it most, and they deserve the support of every one of us."

Alan is a gardener, celebrated broadcaster, poet, and novelist. Alan has been a key presenter on TV's Gardeners' World and Ground Force and currently hosts a regular Classic FM show.

"I spent 15 months in The National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC), Stoke Mandeville following a bit of a bump during the war in Bosnia in 1993. If Horatio’s Garden had been there it would have been a huge boost to be able to enjoy the serenity, beauty and social contact with others facing the life changing challenge of coping with a spinal cord injury.
It is a joy that the NSIC and its patients will be fortunate in having a Horatio’s Garden. I could not be more supportive of this stimulating addition to the first spinal centre in the world."

"Horatio’s Garden at the Stoke Mandeville Spinal Injury Centre does so much to lift the spirits of patients. It gives the opportunity to breathe fresh air; feel the wind and sun and rain; enjoy the scents from the flowers & earth and to savour some non-clinical time with friends and family and staff. It is a huge pleasure to be an Ambassador for Horatio Chapple’s vision."

Milly was the former High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire and during her office highlighted the plight of loneliness and promoted ideas and organisations working together to alleviate it. Milly's husband Rupert is Winston Churchill’s grandson, has lived in Buckinghamshire for 25 years. She farms, supports local charities and volunteers.

"Horatio's Gardens represent a wonderful tribute to the vision of young Horatio Chapple and the tenacity of his marvellous family. They play a crucial role in filling the gap between the necessary confinement of a spinal injuries hospital and the human yearning for sweet fresh air, beautiful spaces to lift the spirits, contact with non-medical friends and the sense of renewal after traumatic experiences. The Victorians understood the importance of hospital gardens, and 20th-century progress has in so many cases replaced these spaces with the car parks. I remember sitting in at the Stoke Mandeville of old, piecemeal building projects and the like. Horatio's Gardens have reversed this trend and in doing so offer spinally injured inestimable steps forward in their rehabilitation."

Andrew Widdowson sustained a broken neck playing rugby at Oxford University and is tetraplegic. Following long treatment in Stoke Mandeville he became a maths teacher working full time at Felstead School in Essex until his retirement. He knew Horatio Chapple well and taught Horatio a lot about living with a disability.

It is a privilege to have Baroness Masham's support as an ambassador of Horatio's Garden. Not only is she a medal-winning Paralympic swimmer and table tennis player, she is also Westminster's longest serving life peer. She continues to champion disability, health, and penal reforms in the House of Lords, just as she has done throughout her 50-year career. The Baroness has previously visited our Stoke Mandeville garden, spending time admiring the beautiful space and exchanging stories with patients and their loved ones.

Baroness Masham was paralysed in a riding accident in 1958, and subsequently became a champion for causes related to disability. She is an active member of the House of Lords, where she takes a particular interest in issues surrounding disability, health and penal reform. In 2011, she was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the Royal College of Nursing. She was the founder of the Spinal Injuries Association, of which she is President. She competed in several Paralympic Games, winning medals for table tennis in 1960, 1964, and 1968.

“I’m thrilled to be involved with Horatio's Garden. I’ve seen the amazing work carried out at Stoke Mandeville over the years and the garden is a wonderful haven for patients and families. I can’t wait to see the charity's story continue.”

Anneka is a well-known and much-loved television presenter, broadcaster and journalist. She regularly appears on BBC Radio 4 on Loose Ends and Just a Minute and her recent television appearances include The Great British Bake Off and The Great British Sewing Bee. Anneka is also an artist, having studied painting at the Chelsea College of Art. After a close friend experienced a spinal cord injury and spent many months in the National Spinal Injuries Centre in Stoke Mandeville, Anneka gained a first-hand insight into the need for an accessible garden, which would lend vital support to patients and their loved ones.

"Horatio’s Garden is a place to be with friends. I had friends come to see me and you are always a bit embarrassed when friends come to the ward and you’ve got all your medical stuff in and around the bed. Going to Horatio’s Garden is like being on a day out or somewhere you would rather be and friends would rather be visiting you. It's other than a hospital. It’s about getting back to normality and about finding who you are again rather than that person who has been injured. And I do not know how that would be possible without Horatio’s Garden. It is not just a pretty garden in a hospital it is really, really so much more and I have been privileged to use it."

Jack was paralysed in a car accident during his time at Bristol University. After spending months in the spinal injury centre in Salisbury, using Horatio's Garden daily, he returned to university to complete a degree in History. Jack is an inaugural member of the Horatio's Garden Young Supporters Group and has spoken at events for the charity.

" I urge you to continue to support this fine garden project which will improve the lives of people facing paralysis."

Sir Algernon Heber-Percy and his wife Jane have generously supported the capital appeal for Horatio's Garden Oswestry from the very beginning. Sir Algernon is a garden enthusiast and has been involved in a number of organisations, including periods as a trustee of the National Gardens Scheme and as a member of the National Trust's regional committee. he served as High Sheriff of Shropshire for the 1987–88 year and then served as Lord Lieutenant from 1996 to 2019.

Maggie was formerly a trustee of Horatio's Garden and has been involved with the charity since it was established.

Maggie studied at the Institut Francais and worked for a stock broker in Paris for a number of years. On returning to the UK Maggie left the financial world to focus her career in corporate branding and marketing. She specialised in the creation of brand names and continues to work on naming projects.

Maggie lives in Wiltshire where she helps to run a family farming business. She is an enthusiastic gardener, organises workshops for cooking and gardening at her home and continues to fully support Horatio's Garden whenever she can.

"In 2020, now more than ever, the benefits outside space has on someone’s wellbeing is being noted and needed in spades. When someone sustains a spinal cord injury they can be bed bound and confined to a small hospital space in the initial months. The freedoms and pleasures they enjoyed without thinking, vanish as they try to come to terms with their trauma. Rehabilitating in a hospital that has a Horatio’s Garden is priceless. It allows space, time and healing to occur in a positive, vibrant and nurturing atmosphere. In 2020 we’ve all had a slight insight as to what it might be like to acclimatise to a new normal following a sudden change of life. Horatio’s Garden allows people to experience joy again when the sun shines on their face or the air fills their lungs. Over time it instills confidence and enables those injured to live a meaningful life."

"It is for this reason that I am incredibly proud to be an Ambassador for Horatio’s Garden and support the much needed work nationally."

Raquel Siganporia sustained a spinal cord injury aged 11 in 1993. She was rehabilitated at Stanmore spinal injury unit after three months of being bed bound.

Pete Reed is a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and is also one of history's most decorated members of the GB Rowing Team, with three gold medals and five World Titles to his name.

In 2019, he suffered a spinal stroke which paralysed him from the chest down. He was initially treated in the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre at Salisbury District Hospital, where he discovered Horatio's Garden.

Since then, he has continued his rehabilitation and has documented his journey online in order to raise awareness of spinal cord injury. His honest, engaging posts have a huge following and Pete is determined to continue empowering people across the world with his ongoing story and commitment to his self-styled hashtag #NotLyingDown.

Bianca has supported Horatio's Garden from the beginning. She was a trustee of the charity for 10 years, only recently stepping down in 2020.

Bianca trained as a speech and language therapist and worked in various hospitals and schools with both adults and children. Bianca has worked as a volunteer for several years in a shelter for women who had suffered abuse and also a care home for adults with learning disabilities.

Bianca has four adult children and has always worked with different charities, advising on fundraising and helping host events to both fundraise and increase awareness for the charity concerned. In addition, she works in property development and is involved in the art world.

As an ambassador, Bianca intends to remain fully involved with Horatio's Garden, continuing to help with our work in any she can.

Dame Joanna Lumley has been involved with the charity for many years, not only as one of our capital appeal patrons for our London & South East project, but as a source of unstinting support and encouragement for our national summer fundraising campaign; The Fabulous Summer Tea Party. She is passionate about helping the charity and patients with spinal injuries however she can and recognises the enormous difference each of our gardens make to everyone affected by spinal injury.

Yan was a founding partner and portfolio manager at Finisterre Capital LLP, an emerging market fund management specialist. He retired from the business in 2013.

Prior to Finisterre Yan worked at various investment banks from 1986 until 2002. He was at Salomon Brothers in London and New York from 1993. Prior to this Yan was at Westpac Banking Corporation in London and Singapore and before that he was a corporate finance executive at Mitsubishi Finance International in London.

From 1983 to 1986, Yan was Managing Director of Aquaman (UK) Limited, a marine electronics accessory business he founded (now called Aquapac International Ltd).

Yan has an MA in Law from Cambridge University, speaks Spanish and French and is keen on outdoor activities. Yan is now a private investor and organic farmer.

"I am absolutely certain that being wheeled out from the Intensive Care Unit into a garden after almost four weeks in an induced coma and excellent conventional treatment, was the turning point in my remarkable road to recovery. Horatio’s Gardens have set a magnificent example for those with spinal injuries. Now all hospitals and rehabilitation units should have gardens for recovering patients.”

"Horatio's Garden is a wonderful, dynamic charity and I'm delighted to support their work. The garden at Salisbury Hospital is not just a place of sanctuary, but a beautiful and hopeful space, offering a positive response to people in very difficult situations."

"It has long been acknowledged that gardens can heal the soul. Horatio's Garden is loved and appreciated by patients and their families who value the opportunity to spend time together in a beautiful setting. I have no doubt that Horatio's Garden will encourage healing of both the body and the soul and will play an important role in patients' recovery. What a wonderful way for a wonderful young man to be remembered."

"Vivid are the memories of dedicated hospital care received by my father after breaking his back 40 years ago, though equally vivid are months of morale sapping gloom amidst monotonous surroundings. To breathe, to imagine the nature and countryside he loved through a beautiful garden would have done untold good. Who can doubt the profound importance of Horatio’s Gardens wherever people face such trauma. We can all play a part in creating them."

"Horatio’s Garden is an inspiring yet simple idea of how to transform loss into gain by using nature to heal the body and soul in a beautiful haven of peace and tranquillity – what could be a better legacy for a life sadly cut short than to be the catalyst for so many others to benefit indefinitely."

"Tending a garden heals so much more than flesh and blood. Broken hearts, spirits and minds can all mend through the loving care of a garden. And it is more than just therapy. Whatever state or condition we happen to be in, growing and nurturing plants makes us better become the people we would like to be."

"Horatio’s Gardens provide the space, tranquillity and privacy to allow a patient and their family to renew their strength. This space is so important in the middle of busy hospital environments where there is little opportunity for private reflection.

As rehabilitation progresses Horatio’s Gardens can provide a back drop of tranquillity which is available at all times. Later they provide space for meetings with family and friends and space for recreation. Children of families may be welcomed, which is so important for parents and grandparents as rehabilitation continues. Horatio’s Garden also provides therapy as patients can be involved in the day to day management. Well planned changes of surface, or small steps in some areas, build confidence in wheelchair skills. Recovery and rehabilitation from spinal cord injury require much inner strength from the patient and their nearest and dearest. Horatio’s Gardens are a vital source of renewal of this strength."

Professor C Greenough MD MChir FRCS
Chair of Clinical Reference Group – Spinal Cord Injury
Clinical Director – Regional Golden Jubilee Spinal Cord Injury Centre

"Horatio’s Garden is a living testament to a beautiful boy whose life was taken too soon. As a long term champion of local, sustainable and healthy eating, I am personally thrilled to see the initiative expanding to encourage the growing and consumption of delicious good food in the hospital. May Horatio's Garden continue to flourish and blossom, bringing comfort, delight and nourishment to all who visit here."

"The Scottish rugby community knows the devastating effect that spinal cord injury can have on people and their families. Having a beautiful garden to go to during the long months in hospital would make a massive difference especially to injured sports people who, before their accidents, were used to being outside."

"It was honour to witness the opening of this excellent project. As a one-time spinal injuries patient myself, I know I craved just such a space to recover in. It has peace, tranquillity, life and beauty. Who could ask for more?"

"Helping to realise Horatio's Garden has been incredibly satisfying on many levels, not least in seeing it play such an important part in the healing of patients' minds, bodies and spirits. Affected families also benefit from this sanctuary as do the dedicated staff who work tirelessly to mend broken lives. It really makes you wonder why all hospitals can't enjoy such spaces."

"I was delighted to be asked to join the team. I have known Horatio’s grandfather for more years than I care to remember. I have grown things since I was a boy, (sometimes under duress), and the Southern General saved my son’s life."

"I am so delighted to support this wonderful venture and having a member of our family who has been treated for spinal injuries, has given both my wife and myself a small insight into the life changing effects that such injuries cause. So to provide a place of sanctuary and rehabilitation is a great thing and I do hope Horatio's Gardens flourish throughout the length and breadth of the land."

"Occupational Therapists have, for many years, recognised and promoted the psychological and physical benefits of being outdoors and working with plants. Horatio’s Gardens are beautiful and tranquil spaces and wonderful examples of the therapeutic benefits that can be gained from spending time in a natural environment."

Maggie Bracher MSc Erg, Dip COT, MBAOT
Occupational Therapy Lecturer/Back Care Adviser
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Southampton

"It is a real honour to have designed Horatio's Garden Stoke Mandeville and to be involved with this fantastic charity. I know that the garden I designed and every other Horatio's Garden across the country will have a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of patients, their families and friends."

"May dear Horatio's Garden thrive."

"My father Ludwig Guttmann used sport as a way of rehabilitating people with spinal cord injuries and helping them return to a normal life in society.
Horatio's Garden is a project in the same way showing people confined to wheelchairs that so much is possible .
It is also an inspiring place of beauty and activity and is a wonderful memorial to a fine young man."

"I know that if I lost the ability to walk, one of the main things I'd want to do would be spend more time gardening. It's an occupation which is quickly and intensely rewarding, tapping into so many different sides of human nature - the intellectual, the creative, the nurturing, the practical, the organising, the planning ... that's why Horatio's Garden - and many more like it - is such an important development idea for those with spinal injury."

"Horatio's Garden is a brilliant idea and it's been a trailblazer for therapeutic gardens far and wide. The charity show immense passion and commitment to every project, and it's been wonderful to see that first hand whilst designing Horatio's Garden London.

We all know that gardening has this enormous impact on the quality of people's lives. It is something that offers hope, change and growth and Horatio's Garden has the capacity to transform the lives of patients with spinal injuries when they are most in need."

"What an incredible thing you have achieved, a beautiful oasis of beauty and tranquillity, the least likely thing in a hospital context!"

"How fitting that this much-loved young man's life be celebrated in the form of Horatio's Garden. Gardens are perhaps uniquely able to help us through physical as well as emotional hard times, not just through actively gardening but by simply being in them. Remembering Horatio's life in this garden ensures that many more - patients and their friends and family alike - will continue to be inspired and uplifted in his name."

“Hearing from people who have benefited from the other Horatio’s Gardens has inspired me. The gardens provide all the benefits of a beautiful outside space to people who really appreciate them. For the patients, it may well be their first venture into the outside world again, for their friends, families and staff the gardens provide a softer more personable space away from the ward. I feel privileged to have designed and be involved with Horatio's Garden Oswestry.”

"A garden in memory of Horatio is a wonderful tribute to a young man who was so full of life. For a garden never dies; it evolves as it reflects the passing of the seasons. It is an inspirational space for all the senses and in time will give peace and encouragement to all."

"It's wonderful that Horatio’s Garden, such a positive force for good, can be born from such terrible events. Although fortunate to have never faced such physical trauma myself, I know that in times of personal difficulty, gardening – in fact just being outdoors in a uplifting space – has always helped me through."

"My mother, a horse-riding botanist, broke her back when I was five. The effect was as if a cage had descended over our family. My mother made just one request - that she could see, and get to, the garden. Easy access to fresh air, sunshine, the whispering of wind in leaves, the feel of earth through the fingers, the scent of flowers and flutter of flitting birds, together offered a healing balm the power of which is probably unimaginable to those who’ve never been deprived of them."

"I first learnt of The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital when I was a Physiotherapy student at The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel in the late 1950s.
I then worked at the The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham, which was run on the principles of Dame Agnes with the patients being treated outside as much as possible and I learnt how valuable that was in their recovery.

Imagine my surprise when I married and discovered that my husband was on the Management Committee of the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt hospital! Then as I was introduced to it I realised how remarkable and unique it is.

Before long we were welcoming the League of Friends' bus to our home - loaded with patients and nurses from the spinal injury wards visiting us for a tour of the gardens and tea then followed by a beer and a game of bingo.

Our League of Friends was founded in 1961 and I have been on the Executive Committee for over 45 years and latterly it's vice chairman.

We constantly strive to provide the very best for our patients, staff and research. The fact that we can assist in honouring our Founder's principles and Horatio's inspirational views about what is good for recovering patients and create a Horatio's Garden for the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries is like a dream realised, a miracle!"

"I spent many of my childhood years wandering the Welsh countryside, which inspired me to become a garden designer and I hope to bring many of the signature elements of the gorgeous Welsh landscape to Horatio's Garden Cardiff.

It's incredible to work on a design for Horatio's Garden, particularly because its focus is uniquely on the patients and their recovery. It's a pleasure to be involved in the project and with the charity as a whole."

"These are is a brilliant, beautiful gardens created by a brilliant, beautiful charity. Such gardens lift the spirits away from what must inevitably be a functional building for the care of patients. Gardens such as these enable them to enter another world in terms of sight, touch, smell and touch. Once again, I say, brilliant and beautiful."

"The Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries serves a population of about 10 million from North Wales, mid-Wales and the West Midlands. It is one of two Centres in the UK that was rebuilt from charitable donations (£4.5 million). It was architecturally designed with full involvement of the senior team members of the Centre to ensure ease of management of patients in a pleasant environment.

Although the environment within the Centre is second to none in quality, unfortunately it was difficult to raise more funds to provide an equally pleasant and serene environment around the Centre for the patient and their relatives to enjoy. This is particularly significant considering the required period of hospitalisation, the relative limitation of space within the Centre, the inability of the patients to exercise outdoors or to enjoy being with their relatives outdoors in good weather.

The dream that one day a garden around the Centre will be developed to facilitate and enhance the management of the emotional, psychological, medical and physical effects of such a sudden life-changing injury has never stopped following me even after I retired from the NHS.
I am grateful to the Chapple family and the Horatio's Garden organisation for their endeavours in making that dream come true for all patients, their families and indeed for me too."

Prof W S El Masri FRCS Ed, FRCP Clinical Professor of Spinal Injuries

Mel Giedroyc has supported Horatio's Garden since its infancy, discovering the charity whilst visiting one of her friends undergoing rehabilitation at the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre in Salisbury. She has since helped the charity on numerous occasions, becoming a capital appeal patron for Horatio's Garden London & South East and most recently appearing with her natural warmth and humour at the charity's Carol Concert in 2019.

Karan Bilimoria is the founder of Cobra Beer, Chairman of the Cobra Beer Partnership Limited, a Joint Venture with Molson Coors, and Chairman of Molson Coors Cobra India. In the Monde Selection, one of the most prestigious quality awards in the world for beer, the Cobra range have collectively been awarded a total of 101 Gold medals since 2001, making it one of the most awarded beers in the world.

Lord Bilimoria is the Founding Chairman of the UK India Business Council, a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London, a former Chancellor of Thames Valley University (now the University of West London); he was the youngest University Chancellor in the UK when appointed. Karan was a former Senior Non-Executive Director of the Booker Group PLC (2007-2016); he is one of the first two visiting entrepreneurs at the University of Cambridge; he is a founding member of the Prime Minister of India’s Global Advisory Council. In 2006, Karan Bilimoria was appointed the Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea, making him the first ever Zoroastrian Parsi to sit in the House of Lords. In 2008 he was awarded the Pravasi Bharti Samman by the President of India. He is an honorary fellow of Sidney Sussex College Cambridge and Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Judge Business School, Cambridge University. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young and graduated in law from the University of Cambridge. He is also an alumnus through executive education of the Cranfield School of Management, the London Business School and the Harvard Business School. In July 2014, he was installed as the seventh Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, making him the first Indian-born Chancellor of a Russell Group University in Great Britain, and he is the President of the UK Council for International Students Affairs (UKCISA). Lord Bilimoria is the Bynum Tudor Fellow at Kellogg College, University of Oxford, for the 2017-18 academic year.

"Hospital care must be supplemented if one is ever to come to terms with irreversible paralysis from spinal injury. I longed for the outdoors with all the natural beauty of the changing seasons and the smell of damp earth: a garden is the key."

"I know from personal experience about the trauma and life changing effect that spinal injuries can cause when 15 years ago the son of one of my oldest friends was left paralysed from the neck down after a bicycle accident. Horatio’s Gardens enable patients with spinal injuries to get out in the open air in a beautiful environment either alone or with their friends and families which must be both uplifting and transformative."

"Horatio's Garden will benefit so many people who have sustained life-changing injuries. I have seen for myself the impact of spinal injuries on fellow jockeys. I know that if they had access to a Horatio’s Garden during their long stay in hospital it would make a huge difference to them and their families and friends in the long journey of rehabilitation."

Fiona joined Horatio's Garden in June 2017 as the Office Administrator. She previously worked in the NHS for the Salisbury & North Hants Diabetic Eye Screening Service as an administrator. Before the NHS, Fiona worked in various administrative and secretarial roles and at a children's day nursery.

Bethan joined Horatio’s Garden in March 2020 and is part-funded by The Ashden Trust. Bethan has been a fundraiser in the charity sector for over 12 years, and has raised large sums for Cancer Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Teenage Cancer Trust, Beanstalk and Career Ready. Originally from the North West, Bethan has recently moved to Dorset and is enjoying the beautiful beaches and coastline.

Julia joined the team in May 2020. Julia is a Chartered Management Accountant and previously worked in distribution, manufacturing and engineering before moving to the not-for profit sector. She joined us from Ansbury, a Dorset based youth engagement and employability charity. Julia is a keen road cyclist and tennis player.

Annabel joined the team as Head of Events in 2018.

Emma joined the team in 2018 and works part time as Head of Fundraising and Trusts & Foundations. Emma previously worked as a theatrical agent, is a trustee of Salisbury International Arts Festival and graduated from Oxford University. She has lived in Wiltshire for 20 years.

Lucy joined the Horatio’s Garden Team in August 2019 to co-ordinate the new ‘Garden Tours’. She is passionate about gardens and gardening, also working as a garden photographer. She has a strong interest in the therapeutic impact of gardens, wildlife friendly gardening and encouraging a new generation of gardeners through school gardening programmes.

Alex graduated from the University of Bristol with a BA degree in History in 2018, joining us in January 2019 for a year-long, full-time internship funded by The Rank Foundation. As a result, she officially became our Communications Assistant in January 2020 and has since gone on to become the charity's Communications Officer in February 2022. She continues to be funded by The Rank Foundation and in her spare time enjoys writing, reading and getting outside to make the most of nature with her family and friends!

Rosie joined us in May 2022 but started her career in the theatre world, having studied Costume Design at Nottingham Trent University and then going on to work on The Lion King’s touring production. After this, she went into events, working on varied community events projects within both the arts and drinks sectors. Rosie is passionate about nature and loves seeing the positive impact it makes on people’s well-being. She is a keen plant and flower enthusiast, with many house plants squeezed into her flat, one reaching over 6ft!

Claire joined us in March 2022 as Fundraising Officer: Trusts & Foundations, having previous experience in Trusts fundraising at Plantlife and Whale and Dolphin Conservation, and also relevant experience from working for Oakhaven Hospice. She is an enthusiast of holistic therapies, herbs and aromatherapy, and the remarkable healing power of nature and animals.

Evie joined us in March 2021 for a Time to Shine year-long internship funded by The Rank Foundation. She graduated in 2020 from Arts University Bournemouth with a BA (Hons) degree in Fine Art. Since finishing her internship in March 2022, Evie has become a full-time member of staff and will continue to brilliantly develop the charity's Arts Programme. She has an interest in arts and wellbeing and spends most of her spare time at the beach.

Dora joined the team as our Assistant Accountant in March 2022. She previously studied at the University of Macedonia in Greece, where she received a BA in Economic & Regional Studies. Since then, she has completed Course Payroll in January 2022 and is currently studying Course Accounting & Business AAT, Level 4.

In between her studies, Dora enjoys reading and ballet, whilst she also loves to simply spend time with her family and friends having fun in the sun!

Sarah first joined Horatio’s Garden as a volunteer in the garden in Salisbury, later becoming a full-time member of staff in February 2022. She graduated from Durham University with a degree in Chinese Studies BA (Hons) in 2018, and more recently studied social and therapeutic horticulture with Thrive. Sarah is passionate about the therapeutic properties nature offers, and continues to enjoy volunteering in the Salisbury garden.

Jacqui joined the team as Head Gardener at Horatio's Garden Stoke Mandeville in 2018. In January 2021, Jacqui stepped down from her role to pursue her dream of moving to Cornwall to establish an animal sanctuary, however she continues to be very much involved with the charity as our Head Gardeners Leader. She is funded by both Bolt Burdon Kemp and The Robert McAlpine Foundation.

Lucy Thorpe became the Head Gardener of Horatio's Garden South West in December 2021. She has been working in horticultural therapy and education for the past 15 years and has a Professional Diploma in Social and Therapeutic horticulture. Lucy's last role was working with military serving personnel, veterans and their families delivering horticultural workshops and programmes.

She is happiest sharing her love of gardening and nature with others and supporting them to discover the benefits of horticulture for their mental health and wellbeing. Her passion is fruit and vegetable growing and she has had an allotment for the last 13 years.

Sallie joined the team in the beginning of 2016 in Glasgow and is Head Gardener of Horatio's Garden Scotland. She has a vast array of experience in the horticultural sector and still works as a Horticultural Therapist in the garden. She recently won Scotland's 'Gardener of the Year' in recognition of her work in Horatio's Garden.

Amy was warmly welcomed to the team as Head Gardener in Horatio's Garden Stoke Mandeville in January 2021. She is a Kew-trained horticulturalist, with a passion for all things bright and beautiful. She also creates her own beautiful handmade jewellery.

Alex joined the team at the Head Gardener of Horatio’s Garden Midlands in January 2022. He is an RHS Wisley-trained horticulturalist with a passion for plants, people, and the planet. Having previously worked in several gardens throughout the UK, most recently as Head Gardener of Wollerton Old Hall in North Shropshire, he enjoys collaborating with others, connecting with nature and making the most of the myraid health and wellbeing benefits gardens offer.

Ashley joined the team in 2020 as Head Gardener of Horatio's Garden London. He graduated from Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in 2014 and has since worked in Longwood Gardens in the USA, the Anna Tasca Lanza Cooking School in Sicily and most recently Strawberry Hill House & Garden in London.

Owen joined the team in September 2021 as the Head Gardener at Horatio’s Garden Wales. He worked as a horticultural therapist at the Rural Activities Garden Centre, Hillingdon before pursuing specialist horticultural training at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew from 2018 to 2021. Owen is passionate about forest gardening and considers it to be an effective strategy for adapting to and mitigating climate change. He believes that the most incredible plants are those that can be enjoyed both visually, as well as on the dinner plate!

Annabel joined Horatio’s Garden South West in April 2021. She trained at RHS Wisley and worked at The Long Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall when they really were lost. After a career as a researcher for garden television programmes Annabel moved to Dorset to raise a family and also works at Shaftesbury Abbey Museum. She loves walking, gardening, singing and cake. She is very much looking forward to getting to know the wonderful volunteer team.

Yvonne is an MA Hons graduate and joined Horatio's Garden in 2019 as Administration Assistant in Scotland. She has had a long career in corporate marketing and product management and absolutely loves dogs.

Sharon joined the team as one of our Garden Administrators in August 2019. She is a former teacher who is passionate about nature, wildlife, her own garden and the therapeutic benefits the great outdoors holds for our wellbeing. She's enthusiastic about bringing all this and more to people in Horatio's Garden Midlands.

Tracey joined Horatio’s Garden in August 2020, and is the Administrative Assistant at Stanmore, London. Tracey previously worked managing a Barrister’s Chambers in London and in Legal Publishing. She spends her spare time, with her family and friends, on her croft on the West Coast of Scotland.

As a long time supporter of Horatio’s Garden she is delighted to have joined the team in London.

With the guidance of a Head Gardener in each of our gardens, our fantastic volunteers are responsible for tending to the planting and generally help to ensure all our gardens look their very best all year round. If you would like to be part of one of our teams, please email volunteer@horatiosgarden.org.uk.

As well as helping in the gardens, lots of our volunteers get involved with running and supporting the charity's events and activities. If you would like to be part of a vibrant team helping occasionally with any of our events throughout the year, please email volunteer@horatiosgarden.org.uk.

Volunteers are at the heart of Horatio's Garden, supporting patients at the spinal centres alongside their families and friends. Great friendships often flourish between volunteers and patients, which helps to create a 'home from home' atmosphere.

We encourage Volunteens to join our friendly teams in order for them to learn and help patients to visit the gardens. We welcome everyone aged 16 and above, so if you are interested in helping during your summer holidays, as part of work experience, or to support your extracurricular pursuits, please email volunteer@horatiosgarden.org.uk.