We are delighted to announce that Thrive has been chosen as our charity of the year for 2016!

Thrive is the UK’s leading charity using gardening to help bring positivity to the lives of those who have a physical or mental disability. Thrives dedicated staff and volunteers provide much needed support and respite for those that need it most. Gardening as therapy can help individuals accomplish many things that before seemed near most impossible. It can help to regain strength, confidence, and perseverance and can provide a purposeful activity for someone coping with a difficult time in their life.

Case study: Two years ago when Melanie came to Thrive just after her father died, she was, in her own words, a different person. Losing both parents (her mother had died some years before) had left her feeling upset and withdrawn and for Melanie, who has learning and mobility difficulties, it also meant leaving her childhood home in Norfolk to move in with her sister in Berkshire.

At this challenging time, Melanie’s love of gardening brought her to Thrive. She attended the charity’s Growing for Life project which became the starting point towards a new life for her.

“Speaking to people has done me the power of good. Thrive is a wonderful place. If I am ever on a downer, they will listen,” said Melanie.

We were so overwhelmed with the work that Thrive do, we wanted to give something back. We have launched Sweet Pea ‘Eleanore Udall’ for 2016, with sales going towards Thrive training programs at the charity’s four regional centres and local community venue. Thrives supporters named this Sweet Pea to commemorate the late wife of the founder of Thrive, the late Rev. Dr Geoffrey Udall and we couldn’t have thought of a name better suited.

Thrive chief executive Kathryn Rossiter said: “We would like to thank Thompson & Morgan for choosing Thrive as their Charity of the Year. What a wonderful name for this very pretty sweet pea, and such a fitting tribute. I hope our supporters will buy lots of packets of Sweet Pea ‘Eleanore Udall’ and we look forward to seeing pictures of the sweet peas in bloom. We will be selling packets of the sweet peas at Thrive via our website and through our various outlets with 100 per cent profits coming back to us. Please do buy as many packets as you can.”

We will be selling Sweet Pea ‘Eleanore Udall’ in our 2016 seed catalogue and website, with 50 per cent of proceeds from these sales going to the charity.

We would be truly grateful to see Sweet Pea ‘Eleanore Udall’ growing in your gardens, and we will even be running a competition for you to win a wonderful prize to say thank you. So watch this space!

Thompson & Morgan

Since the first seed catalogue was published in 1855, Thompson & Morgan has grown to become one of the UK’s largest Mail Order Seed and Plant companies. Through the publication of our catalogues and the operation of our award-winning website, Thompson & Morgan is able to provide home gardeners with the very best quality products money can buy.