Leading provider of mental health support via horticultural therapy, Plants and Minds, is looking to expand its Board of Trustees and appoint a new Chair of Trustees to lead the charity through an exciting period of growth.

Plants and Minds runs two award-winning projects: Cherry Tree Nursery in Bournemouth and Chestnut Nursery in Poole. The nurseries provide meaningful work in a supportive and pressure-free environment for adults with life-impacting mental health conditions. Revenue from plants grown and sold at both nurseries is vital for sustaining the charity’s provision of mental health support.

Cherry Tree and Chestnut Nursery have experienced strong performance in recent seasons. Now, Trustees are looking to strengthen the leadership team to steer the charity’s commercial operations and raise its profile in the mental health sector.

Directing the charity’s future
The appointment of a new Chair of Trustees will be pivotal to shaping the charity’s future direction. For the past five years, Plants and Minds has been chaired by James Robinson, Partner at accountancy firm PKF Francis Clark in Poole, who led the charity during a period of sustained growth in the post-Covid era.

Previous Chairs include garden retail expert Martin Stewart, Director of the pioneering Stewarts group of family-owned garden centres. Martin was instrumental in the 2018/2019 redevelopment of Chestnut Nursery, helping to transform the project into a financially viable, state-of-the-art, eco-friendly garden centre.

Keilah Towers, a Trustee of Plants and Minds, said: “It’s an exciting time at Plants and Minds, with both nurseries delivering superb performance during the first half of 2026 – while meeting strong demand for mental health support in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole areas.

“With the charity’s commercial operations continuing to grow, and high levels of demand from professional services looking to refer adults with mental health challenges to the charity for horticultural therapy, Plants and Minds needs to expand its Board of Trustees.

“We are keen to hear from people with leadership experience, ideally in the garden retail or nursery sector, or within mental health services, or in the provision of business advisory services to small and medium-sized enterprises.”

Knowledge of charity governance or previous experience as a trustee would be beneficial but is not essential. A good working knowledge of HR practices would be advantageous, as is an understanding and interest in mental health support.

Looking to the future
Plants and Minds Trustees attend quarterly in-person meetings, although additional discussion and review of documents can be required on an ad-hoc basis.

Trustees act as ambassadors for Plants and Minds, bringing management expertise, local and industry insight and occasionally business connections to the charity. Trustees act impartially at all times, making informed and balanced decisions in the charity’s best interests.

Plants and Minds’ Chair and Trustees will determine the charity’s direction and priorities; ensure the organisation is run efficiently, oversee sound decision-making and ensure compliance with legal obligations.

Ideally, new Trustees should be based in or have a connection with the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) area. Reasonable expenses incurred carrying out duties for the charity will be reimbursed.

For more information, or to request an informal chat, please email Keilah Towers at: keilah@accounting4charities.co.uk.