2024 was another landmark year for the National Garden Scheme with the charity donating a record £3,501,227 from the 2024 garden opening season. The impact of these donations to our major nursing and health beneficiaries means that thousands of people who live with health conditions such as cancer or Parkinson’s, who have poor mental health, or who struggle financially as unpaid carers, have been supported by our funding of the nurses, health professionals and case workers who support them.
Our funding has also provided support to those in the Gardens and Health sector along with Community Gardens and also supported gardeners through traineeships. The lion’s share, £2,550,000 goes to some of the UK’s best-loved nursing and health charities, many of which have continued to provide vital support to the NHS and communities across the UK in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and who are now struggling to provide services in the current cost of living crisis.
The long-term nature of funding from the National Garden Scheme allows these charities to continue the provision of critical community nursing services, end of life care, and respite for families and carers across the UK. The impact of this long-term commitment was celebrated in 2024 by our milestone of 40 years of continuous funding for Macmillan Cancer Support, during which time we have given them more than £19.6 million.
Jean Wiseman