Propagating Green Therapies in the UK

“This week we talk to Richard Claxton a General (medical) Practitioner who does social prescribing and campaigns for gardening as therapy. He has created an NHS Garden Therapy project in Tonbridge and is a Trustee for the charity Greenfingers. He has also created a website https://gardening4health.co.uk

On Thursday use our usual log-in: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83781125288

And it’ll be up on our You Tube Channel after that.

This is a pro bono broadcast for the global garden community – we appreciate donations – please see www.gardenmasterclass.org/home-page/tgc“

Greenfingers Charity Press Release

Posted on 15th Feb 2023 Tagged #charity, #gardendesign, #gardeningdoctor, #gardeningismytherapy, #greenfingers, #greenfingerscharity, #hospice, #hospicegardens, #socialandtherapeutichorticulture, #socialprescribingLeave a comment

RICHARD CLAXTON GP JOINS THE GREENFINGERS BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Published on 4 November 2022

The Greenfingers Charity’s Board of Trustees has further expanded with the inclusion of Richard Claxton, GP and therapeutic garden designer.

Richard, who trained at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals Medical School has specialised in both paediatrics and general practice medicine. After a long career that has spanned over 25 years, Richard has now retrained as a garden designer, and specialises in creating garden spaces that focus heavily on the mental and physical wellbeing that gardening provides as well as placing biodiversity and the integration of wildlife at the heart of the garden.

It is this knowledge and personal passion that makes Richard a great asset for the Greenfingers Board of Trustees, who together are responsible for controlling the work, management and administration of the charity. Additionally, the trustees operate alongside the in-house team who work daily to build the profile and band of supporters that help the Greenfingers Charity continue to build gardens at children’s hospices across the country.

Talking about this new role, Richard said: “I couldn’t be happier to be appointed as a Trustee of Greenfingers. As a charity it’s the perfect fit for me; harnessing the importance of nature through special gardens for children, their families and the hospice staff to spend precious time within. Collectively they all face such huge challenges, and the provision of these beautiful green spaces by Greenfingers is so important and has such a powerful impact. I’m glad to be able to help in whatever way I can.”

Sue Allen, Chairman at Greenfingers Charity added: “We are delighted to welcome Richard onto the Board. Richard, perhaps more than most, appreciates not just the value of gardening on a personal and professional level, but his career as a GP means that he truly understands the challenges hospice communities face daily. I have no doubt that this knowledge will add real value to the Greenfingers Charity as we develop future gardens and fundraising opportunities.”

Therapeutic Gardening

Posted on 17th Jul 2022 Tagged #gardening4health, #gardeningdoctor, #gardeningismytherapy, #greentherapy, #investment, #nationalgardenscheme, #nhs, #socialandtherapeutichorticulture, #socialprescribing, #winwin, @brewin_dolphinLeave a comment

Journalist Leah Clarkson wrote this piece for Perspective; the Brewin Dolphin investment magazine, and I was delighted to be interviewed for it. The momentum is gathering….

https://online.fliphtml5.com/avbq/eszi/#p=25

London Landscapes Blog, June 2022

Posted on 9th Jul 2022 Tagged #chelseafringe, #garden, #gardendesign, #gardening, #gardeningdoctor, #gardeningismytherapy, #greentherapy, #londongardenstrust, #socialandtherapeutichorticulture, #socialprescribing, #therapeutichorticultureLeave a comment

Click the Link Below to see my Blog, written for the London Gardens Trust after my talk in May.

https://londonparksandgardens.wordpress.com/

SGD Symposium

Posted on 28th Jun 2022 Tagged #gardendesign, #hospicegardens, #landscape architecture, #societyofgardendesignersLeave a comment

In my new role as an Ambassador for Greenfingers Charity I was thrilled to be ask to attend the Society of Garden Designers Symposium at Wisley earlier this month. As well as learning loads in this CPD setting for Garden Designers, it was a great chance to raise funds for the charity and raise its profile amongs tDesigners and Industry leaders who may be able to contribute in future.

Talk: Gardening and Health for the Chelseea Fringe

Posted on 28th Jun 2022 Tagged #chelseafringe, #gardendesign, #gardeningismytherapy, #socialandtherapeutichorticultureLeave a comment

I was really honoured and grateful to be asked to speak in May for the London Gardens Trust at the Chelsea Fringe. The talk covered the background of Social and Therapeutic Horticulture, and how gardening helps me as well as my patients. Lastly I finished by looking at how Green Therapies could become more available Nationally throughout the NHS. See my sister-site Gardening4Health for more information.

BMJ Award

Posted on 19th Sep 2021 Tagged #bmj, #disability, #gardeningforhealth, #gardeningismytherapy, #generalpractice, #gp, #healinggardens, #holistic, #mentalhealth, #nationalgardenscheme, #primarycare, #socialandtherapeutichorticulture, #socialprescribing, #wellbeingLeave a comment

Over the moon to see the Gardening4health website and directory shortlisted for this BMJ award.

Looking at the other finalists I suspect I have very little chance of success. However, the real win will be in the wider publicity for Social and Therapeutic Horticulture through the awards process, especially in the Medical and Social Prescribing worlds.

I have to face a grilling by the judges, and will know the outcome in a few weeks. Thanks to everyone whose support for the directory is so hugely appreciated.

Open Garden for Greenfingers Charity

Posted on 9th Jun 2021 Tagged #charity, #fundraising, #gardeningismytherapy, #gardensofkent, #gardenstovisit, #greenfingers, #greenfingerscharity, #opengarden, #socialandtherapeutichorticultureLeave a comment

This, an Excerpt from the News Page on Greenfingers Charity Website:

UNLOCK YOUR GARDEN TO RAISE FUNDS FOR GREENFINGERS

Published on 9 June 2021

With the easing of lockdown restrictions, supporters of Greenfingers will be pleased to learn that there is an additional way to support the charity – unlocking your garden!

Unlocking your garden couldn’t be easier. Simply put, it’s a way of opening your garden to friends, family and the local community to enjoy and revel in the fruits of your labour. Whether your garden is a rose lover’s dream, a wonder for nature or big enough and manicured enough to give Capability Brown a run for his money, then why not consider showing off your efforts all in the name of charity?

One couple who recently ‘unlocked’ their garden for Greenfingers was Kent-based Richard and Cheryl Claxton, who, like many, realised the incredibly important value of gardening on both physical and mental wellbeing during lockdown. With their hands muddy and the garden thriving, the couple learnt of Greenfingers via ‘My Real Garden’ – a special, community-driven garden book penned by none other than Greenfingers patron, Ann-Marie Powell – and felt there wasn’t a better time to show their support.

With two acres lovingly landscaped over a seven year period, Richard and Cheryl had a lot to showcase including fit-to-bursting vegetable patches, fruit cages and greenhouse, extensive lawns and patios, a wildlife pond, herbaceous borders, a bog garden and a shady wildflower and woodland area which has started to take shape in 2021. If that wasn’t enough, a two-acre paddock with a wildflower meadow, orchard, coppice woodland and thriving polytunnel was also available to see.

Over the course of a weekend, Richard and Cheryl welcomed friends and family, as well as neighbours, to their incredible garden, raising over £2,000 for the Greenfingers Charity.

Speaking about their garden unlocking, Richard Claxton, said: “After realising the importance of our garden to us through lockdown, and how very lucky we are to have one, we decided to open for Greenfingers Charity. We’d never thought of opening our garden before and were a little jittery at the prospect, but it was a fantastic experience to be able to share what we have created with so many lovely people. We couldn’t imagine a better fundraising cause than Greenfingers: providing the poorliest of children with wonderful outside spaces to explore, enjoy and connect with nature.”

For a virtual tour of Richard and Cheryl’s stunning garden, please visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Richardclaxtongardens