We’re absolutely thrilled to have learned that the National Garden Scheme has successfully raised and donated over £3 million to lots of UK charities this year, including Horatio’s Garden!
Since 2015, the National Garden Scheme has been an enormously generous supporter of our projects, making significant contributions to the capital appeals of our Stoke Mandeville, Midlands, London & South East and Wales gardens. Across the three of these gardens that are currently open (Horatio’s Garden Wales is due to open in spring 2022), the National Garden Scheme has helped us to support thousands of patients, as well as their loved ones and the NHS staff working in the spinal centres.
Our wonderful partnership will be something that continues long into the future too, as in 2019 the National Garden Scheme generously committed funding to help us achieve our mission to bring a Horatio’s Garden to life in all 11 NHS spinal injury centres across the UK.
Below you will find the National Garden Scheme’s press release detailing their fantastic achievements this year, whilst you can also read their Impact Report 2021 by simply clicking here.
We’re enormously grateful to everyone who supports the National Garden Scheme and hope that their exciting new plans to launch in Northern Ireland and Guernsey next year will ensure they continue to go from strength to strength.
NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEME PRESS RELEASE: 1 December 2021
Despite the ongoing restrictions and uncertainty that continued throughout the early months of 2021, severely curtailing garden opening activities, the National Garden Scheme has today announced donations of over £3 million to its beneficiary charities. The total of £3,030,272 is only slightly lower than the pre-pandemic donation made in 2019 of £3,106,208.
The lion’s share, £2,557,500, goes to some of the UK’s best-loved nursing and health charities*, many of which have provided vital support to the NHS and communities across the UK throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. National Garden Scheme funding has allowed these charities to continue the provision of critical services including the weekly provision of one million items of PPE to the hospice network and bereavement counselling for patients, families and staff.
Commenting, National Garden Scheme Chairman Rupert Tyler said: “At a time when the collective activities and contributions of our beneficiaries in supporting the national endeavour continued to put unbearable pressure on many aspects of their work, we are delighted to be able to continue our support in such a meaningful way.”
The National Garden Scheme relies primarily on the income generated by admissions at its garden gates and through the sale of plants, tea and cakes. In 2021, the donations amounted to 90% of funds raised in gardens being shared with beneficiaries. Additional income streams include fundraising events such as online talks, garden parties, and commercial partnerships.
Commenting on these activities, Chief Executive George Plumptre said: “The enormous contribution by our garden owners and volunteers was added to by other fundraising activities. Some, such as our series of online talks which raised £40,000 in ticket sales, were born out of the restrictions of the pandemic; they have introduced us to new audiences at home and abroad with whom we look forward to staying in touch. A special fundraising event in August at Chilworth Manor in Surrey raised almost £30,000, and in September we hosted our second Great British Garden Party, giving the opportunity for anyone – whether they open their garden or not – to have an event with friends or family and raise funds for the National Garden Scheme, generating almost £40,000.”
2021 also saw the National Garden Scheme celebrate 25 years of continued partnership and over £20 million of combined donations to three of its beneficiaries – Marie Curie, Hospice UK and Carers Trust.
“We know that the long-term continuity of our funding from year to year is very unusual and, especially at a time when so many other sources of their funding either disappeared or declined, our beneficiaries have emphasised that this is a key quality of the support we are able to give to them. It is something of which we are enormously proud,” added George Plumptre.
The National Garden Scheme is looking ahead to 2022 with optimism and with the prospect of exciting expansion as, for the first time ever, the charity will be welcoming gardens opening in Northern Ireland and Guernsey.
Commenting, Chairman Rupert Tyler said: “We will do our utmost to increase the support we are able to give our beneficiary charities and we are sure that anyone who reads our 2021 Impact Report that accompanies this donation news, will see just how impactful a garden visit to a National Garden Scheme garden can be for all of us.”
