Every year the proceeds from the Charity Gala Preview are donated to horticultural causes. We are pleased to announce that for 2008 the supporting charities will be the Royal Horticultural Society, Thrive and RNIB *.
The Royal Horticultural Society
The RHS is the UK's leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting gardening.
The proceeds from the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show Charity Gala Preview help us to bring the personal and social benefits of gardens and gardening to a diverse audience of all ages. Our activities range from providing advice and inspiration through to running education programmes and conducting research into plants and environmental issues affecting gardeners.
The RHS depends on the support and generosity of others to make a difference. Our charitable work is funded through subscriptions from our 365,000 members, supplemented by donations, sponsorship and income from our garden operations, flower shows, shops and plant centres.
Our goal is to help people share a passion for plants, to encourage excellence in horticulture in private and public spaces, to help create healthy, sustainable communities and support long-term environmental improvements.
Visit the RHS website: www.rhs.org.uk
Become an RHS member: www.rhs.org.uk/
membership
Thrive & RNIB
At the 2008 show, RNIB and Thrive are launching Keeping the Garden Gate Open, a talking book of inspirational stories from blind and partially-sighted people who love gardening.
RNIB is the UK's leading charity helping anyone with a sight problem. Its staff and volunteers work to empower blind and partially sighted people of all ages and to remove the barriers they face, as well as preventing sight loss.
Thrive uses gardening to make a real difference to the lives of people with a disability. This national charity helps people with learning disabilities, mental health issues, physical disabilities caused perhaps by stroke or heart disease, and sensory disabilities such as partial sight or deafness.
* RHS Special Events Limited expects to donate £10,000 to Thrive and £10,000 to RNIB.
Call the RNIB Helpline on 0845 766 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk
Contact Thrive on 0118 988 5688 or visit www.thrive.org.uk
