Unpaid carers visit Stonor Park for National Garden Scheme celebration

Unpaid carers and staff from Carers Trust and the National Garden Scheme enjoyed a beautiful celebration today of 25 years of National Garden Scheme funding for Carers Trust.

The carers were joined by Carers Trust’s Director of Fundraising, Svetlana Kirov, and Carers Trust Chair, John McLean OBE, in the stunning surroundings of Stonor Park near Henley-on-Thames.

As well as the beautiful grounds, the carers enjoyed tea and cake at the celebration garden party as they enjoyed a well-deserved break from their caring roles.

"It was nice to be in such lovely surroundings and to spend time with my mum and sister ."

In a speech, John McLean thanked the National Garden Scheme for a remarkable 25 years of funding which has helped Carers Trust support around 438,000 unpaid carers a year through its network of local partner services. 

Members of the public visiting National Garden Scheme gardens donate for entry. Over the last 25 years these donations have provided £4.6million in funding to Carers Trust, enabling its Network Partners to provide unpaid carers with grants for essential items they couldn’t otherwise afford, as well as respite breaks. In the last year alone, National Garden Scheme donations have helped provide emergency grants and support to an estimated 18,000 unpaid carers.

Garden visits for carers right across England

To celebrate this year’s anniversary, the National Garden Scheme has also opened its gardens for a summer programme of free mini-respite visits for unpaid carers, providing them with a break from their round-the-clock caring roles. 

Carers Trust’s Director of Fundraising, Svetlana Kirov, said:

“On behalf of the many thousands of unpaid carers who have received a grant made possible by National Garden Scheme funding, or been on an organised respite visit to a beautiful garden, I’d like to offer our heartfelt thanks to everyone at the National Garden Scheme, including the gardeners, garden owners and volunteers. Their generosity has had a huge impact over the last 25 years, helping unpaid carers live better, healthier and less stressful lives.”

Read Svetlana Kirov’s blog on Carers Trust’s partnership with National Garden Scheme.

Find out more about how our partnership with the National Garden Scheme is helping unpaid carers.

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