Society for Horticultural Therapy
Analysis
Society for Horticultural Therapy is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Beech Hill. It was registered in March 1979, 47 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives, disability and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01415700). It says it provides services, provides advocacy/advice/information and sponsors or undertakes research.
In the financial year ending March 2025, Society for Horticultural Therapy reported income of £2.1m and spending of £2.0m, spending 95% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £1.3m to £2.1m (+62%), an average of +13% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 30%. Over the whole period it spent 113% of the income it received.
Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, Society for Horticultural Therapy sits at the 93rd percentile: it is larger than about 93% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 96th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Moulding Foundation (£2.1m), Medicinema (£2.1m) and The Counselling Foundation (£2.1m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 55%, donations and legacies 39% and investments 3.2%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £177k. Charitable activities took 81% of spending and raising funds 15%. Reserves of £3.3m would cover about 19 months of spending at that rate. It employed 48 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 30%
- Legacies 8.4%
- Charitable activities 55%
- Investments 3.2%
- Other 3.0%
In the charity's own words
Thrive is the leading UK gardening for health charity, helping to improve people's physical and mental health through gardening. Thrive has over 45 years' experience of an approach called Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH), where trained horticultural therapists work with people and plants to improve an individual's physical and psychological health, communication and social skills.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| The Moulding Foundation | Cheshire | £2.1m |
| Medicinema | London | £2.1m |
| The Counselling Foundation | Herts | £2.1m |
| The Birmingham Settlement | Birmingham | £2.1m |