15 years of support celebrated by National Garden Scheme and Army Benevolent Fund

Lead image: ABF beneficiary, Henry (11), his sister, Evie and mum, Natalie, joined CEOs of the Army Benevolent Fund and National Garden Scheme, Tim Hyams and George Plumptre to celebrate 15 years of funding from the National Garden Scheme for its support for soldiers, veterans and their families

PRESS RELEASE – 8th September

2025 marks 15 years of support and over £800,000 in donations from the National Garden Scheme to the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF), the Army’s national charity. The £800,000 funding – part of £3.5 million donated annually by the National Garden Scheme through the opening of private gardens to the public – has helped improve the wellbeing of soldiers, veterans and their families through horticultural therapy, education and training to enable employment in the horticultural industry, and access to green space.

To mark this milestone of support, the Chief Executives of both organisations visited a garden of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, which the ABF helps fund. Joining them to enjoy the surroundings and meet with Chelsea Pensioners were ABF beneficiaries, Henry and his family.

“The National Garden Scheme was founded in 1927 to raise funds for community nursing and that strong link between gardens and health has been a guiding principle of the charity for almost 100 years”, says George Plumptre, National Garden Scheme Chief Executive. “We’re very proud to have funded the ABF for 15 years, helping to build new skills and supporting the wellbeing of soldiers and veterans through horticultural activities.”

With National Garden Scheme funding, the ABF has been able to award grants to individuals and families such as Henry’s, helping them to enjoy the outdoors together and improve their quality of life. Henry (10) lives with his parents, Lee and Natalie, and his older sister, Evie. Lee served in the 1st Battalion, the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, for 14 years, reaching the rank of Corporal.

Aged 4, Henry was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare muscle-wasting condition, and is a full-time wheelchair user. The family turned to the ABF for help to fund the costs of adapting their home to meet Henry’s needs, as they had exhausted every avenue – borrowing from family, requesting additional loans, and increasing their mortgage to adapt their home. Using National Garden Scheme funding, the ABF stepped in with a grant of £13,500, to cover the remaining costs. Henry (11) is now able to get outside into the garden in his wheelchair, where he can play and enjoy time with his friends and family.

National Garden Scheme donations also support the ABF’s grants to former soldiers training for new careers in tree surgery and landscaping, and to other charities and organisations offering horticultural projects and support for vulnerable veterans. Last year the National Garden Scheme’s grant of £80,000 enabled the ABF to help five charities in England and Northern Ireland – reaching almost 730 beneficiaries.

Commenting on the support received from the National Garden Scheme over the last 15 years, ABF Chief Executive, Major General (Ret’d) Tim Hyams, said:

“We are extremely grateful to the National Garden Scheme for its ongoing commitment to soldiers, former soldiers, and their families. The long-standing and profoundly important partnership between National Garden Scheme and the ABF has allowed us to improve the health and wellbeing of thousands of members of the Army family through access to green space, horticultural therapy, and training and education to enable employment in the horticulture industry.”

The Army Benevolent Fund is the Army’s national charity, providing a lifetime of support to soldiers, veterans and their families through grants to individuals and other charities such as the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The ABF’s most recent grant to the Royal Hospital Chelsea of £50,000 is helping the charity to provide its Pensioners with an occupational therapy service.

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