We are delighted to announce that Bolt Burdon Kemp are continuing their support of Horatio’s Garden, as our newest regional partners in our London and Stoke Mandeville Gardens.
As one of our longest standing corporate supporters, it was only natural that we would choose Bolt Burdon Kemp as one of our first regional partners. In continuing their support of our London and Stoke Mandeville gardens, they will be helping us to support thousands of people from the spinal cord injury community in London, the South East, and the Home Counties to rebuild their lives after a spinal cord injury.
The BBK team have been working with Horatio’s Garden for over a decade: volunteering in our gardens on a weekly basis and sending enthusiastic teams to tackle odd jobs that always need doing in our busy gardens. They have also passionately turned out to Christmas Fairs, Fabulous Summer Tea Parties, and the charity’s Carol Concerts every year to help raise vital awareness, as well as the funds needed to keep the charity running. It is fair to say that we wouldn’t be where we are now without their continued support.
Bethan Cummings, Director of Fundraising at Horatio’s Garden and long-time friend of Bolt Burdon Kemp, had the following to say about our new partnership:
“Partnerships with passionate and engaged supporters like Bolt Burdon Kemp are going to be a huge part of ensuring that Horatio’s Gardens are there for the use and enjoyment of our beneficiaries for many years to come. As regional partners in our London and Stoke Mandeville Gardens, the Bolt Burdon Kemp team will be offering a huge amount of support directly to the patients and families there, and we know they are always keen to get their hands dirty and take on lots of gardening chores too. We can’t thank the Bolt Burdon Kemp team enough for all their support over the years, and it is really fantastic to know that we will be working with them as partners for 2023. Hopefully this is the continuation of a long and rewarding partnership”.
Dr Olivia Chapple, Founder & Chair of Trustees of Horatio’s Garden, added:
“We are so delighted that Bolt Burdon Kemp have become Regional Partners of Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville and London. We are incredibly grateful for the support given by Bolt Burdon Kemp over the past few years, both with volunteering and event sponsorship and look forward to working together going forwards to improve the lives of everyone affected by spinal cord injuries.”
Like all our regular volunteers, the Bolt Burdon Kemp team plays a huge part in helping our beneficiaries feel at home in the gardens, from their first day there, to their last. As specialist spinal injury solicitors – having worked with hundreds of people with spinal injuries and their families – the Bolt Burdon Kemp team bring a huge amount of understanding, knowledge and empathy with them when they are in the gardens, which is simply invaluable. We know that often what our beneficiaries need most is a kind word, or to be able to talk about their situation with “someone who gets it” and we know that is an area where the Bolt Burdon Kemp team excels.
Victoria Oliver, Head of Spinal Injury at Bolt Burdon Kemp, shared the following about their time supporting Horatio’s Garden and our continued partnership with them:
“Bolt Burdon Kemp consider it a privilege to be able to Partner with Horatio’s Garden at the National Spinal Cord Injury Centre at Stoke Mandeville, and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore. As a volunteer at the garden myself, I see first-hand how important it is to the patients, their families and the staff there. I have heard patients describe the garden as a haven and have seen the difference a cup of tea and a chat with a volunteer can make to someone’s day.
We are delighted to be able to continue to support Horatio’s Garden through our Partnership and to continue to watch the gardens thrive”.
The Bolt Burdon Kemp Spinal Injury Team recently visited Horatio’s Garden London & South East for a team volunteering day, with Victoria and the team happy to report that they got just as much out of supporting us as we did from their time spent hard at work. Victoria shared;
“The Spinal Injury Team were delighted to have the opportunity to visit the garden at Stanmore Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Unit for a corporate volunteering day. Our time at Stanmore gave the team an invaluable insight into the work Horatio’s Garden do and the therapeutic and wellbeing benefits it brings to both the patients and staff. It also gave us a chance to connect with nature and each other. We all feel incredibly privileged to have spent time assisting the team at Stanmore, we have all learnt so much and we can’t wait to return!”
In addition to the busy day the team spent volunteering in Horatio’s Garden London & South East, Alex Dabek, Senior Associate in the Bolt Burdon Kemp Spinal Injury Team, found a moment to team up with Head Gardener Ashley Edwards to record the latest episode of the BBK Free Speech Podcast. Together, Alex and Ashley explore the positive impact Horatio’s Garden has on people with spinal injuries and how nature can play an important role as a rehabilitative tool when recovering from a spinal cord injury. You can listen to the full episode here.
Everyone at Horatio’s Garden is thrilled to be continuing our historic relationship with Bolt Burdon Kemp, and we are hopeful that these partnerships will bring us closer than ever.
Thank you to everyone at Bolt Burdon Kemp for your support; we are incredibly grateful for everything you have done and continue to do for us. We look forward to hearing about your latest wonderful work in our gardens soon!
