Thrive
We partner with Thrive who uses gardening to bring about positive changes in the lives of people living with disabilities or ill health, or are isolated, disadvantaged or vulnerable.
Using gardening as a safe and secure way to develop someone's ability to mix socially and make friends, and to learn practical skills to help them be more independent is now a proven therapy.
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Gardening improves physical and mental health and could lead to volunteering with other organisations, qualifications in horticulture which people can do with us and ultimately a job.
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The benefits include:
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Better physical health through exercise and mobility
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Improved mental health through a sense of purpose and achievement
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The opportunity to connect with others – reducing feelings of isolation or exclusion
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Acquiring new skills to improve the chances of finding employment
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Just feeling better for being outside, in touch with nature and in the 'great outdoors'
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Thrive runs gardening programmes for people in Berkshire, London and Birmingham for the following groups
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The charity runs outreach programmes at schools, hostels, hospitals, care homes and other community settings such as libraries and community setting and looks for funding to do this.
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"In the next decade, the most successful companies will be those that integrate sustainability into their core businesses"
Jim Owens, CEO Caterpillar
Who would you like to do the planting?
Teaching the next generation to connect with the planet
Supporting people dealing with homelessness through the provision of work based planting opportunities
A great opportunity to engage your employees in nature, with fresh air and exercise, being part of the climate change solution
At their Beech Hill site the Thrive therapists work with more than 100 disabled people each year ranging in age from 14 to 86 years.
The garden is designed to help people develop their skills with the help of a horticultural therapist by using a variety of plants.
The gardens have areas for growing herbs, fruit and vegetables and there's butterfly and woodland gardens, a glasshouse and polytunnels, a bee border, a tree nursery and a large wildlife pond
Creating Qualifications
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They offer gardening programmes to more than 200 Londoners in four fantastic gardens in Battersea Park, as well as various outreach projects in the wider community.
By working together for a common purpose the projects create a greater sense of well being and belonging for those involved.
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Helping to create or replace woodlands, and working with local people to improve their green spaces, can help your business to be recognised as a responsible and caring participant in the community.
Your team can put on their wellies and enjoy a hands-on experience working with the community to create a legacy in an urban green space.
Offering a great opportunity for both team building and PR, it's a fantastic way to get staff who don’t normally work together to get to know each other and take photos for PR purposes, websites, internal newsletters etc.
Smaller contributions
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Small local businesses can get involved with planting trees with BTFL from as little as £250.
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You will contribute to the funding of a community planting by proving one standard native tree or 250 woodland whips (for each £250 given).
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You will receive an invitation to attend a community planting event to plant the trees you have funded.
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You will receive a certificate for display at your workplace and your company will be listed on our sponsors web page, have a blog entry and social media coverage.
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Larger Contributions of between £500 and £2000
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Larger contributions create the planting of new woodland for a minimum donation of £500 – this funds two large trees and a number of saplings at one of our planned planting events. This offers opportunities for both team building and PR, and a great way to get staff to work together to contribute to their local environment. A larger donation of up to £2000 purchases more trees and gives a greater opportunity for staff volunteering
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Contributions over £2000
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BTFL can work with you to develop a tree planting project proposal which can be tailored where possible to your company’s own Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) objectives.
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You will be able to contribute to one or more larger projects such as the planting of 10 or more ornamental trees in a park or a larger woodland planting.
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Your staff will be able to come along to plant the trees at a community planting event.
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You will receive a plaque for display at your workplace and your company will be listed on our sponsors’ web page, have a blog entry and social media coverage.
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Corporate Team Building Day – from £750
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BTFL offer the opportunity to work together as a team, planting trees is a is a brilliant way of experiencing something completely different as a group, having fun and crucially achieving something really worthwhile.
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• From 10 employees.
• Learn woodland management skills.
• Take part in team building activities.
• Experience a mixture of work and play.
• With a campfire lunch – weather permitting.
• All equipment provided apart from personal clothing and footwear.
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General Information
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BTFL only plant trees when they are dormant, volunteering opportunities are only available between November and March and will be at their larger community planting events. They provide all equipment and instruction on how to plant, all volunteers need to need to bring is enthusiasm, wellies or strong footwear and warm clothing appropriate to the weather.
Your donation helps to fund initial care of the trees for the first two years until they are established.
If you would like to make an online donation to support community tree planting you can do so via the Birmingham Civic Society’s Just Giving page https://www.justgiving.com/birminghamcs Please remember to state that the donation is to support tree planting with BTFL.
If you would like more information please contact BTFL on info@btfl.org.uk
Creating a strong business and building a better world are not conflicting goals – they are both essential ingredients for long-term success
William Clay Ford Jr. Executive Chairman, Ford Motor Company.
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