Thrive, the leading charity operating in the field of disability and gardening, has been named as seedsman Thompson & Morgan’s Charity of the Year.

Sales of a new sweet pea launched for 2016 will benefit Thrive training programs at the charity’s four regional centres and local community venues. 

The sale of the sweet pea alone aims to generate £10,000-plus. T&M is also supplying more than £1,000 of flower and vegetable seeds to be grown at the charity’s three garden project sites at Gateshead, Reading and London’s Battersea Park, to help provide learning opportunities and the prospect of charity income from the sale of the plants grown.

In addition, the company is to donate 2,400 litres of its incredicompost® growing medium and incredibloom® fertiliser.

The sweet pea was named ‘Eleanore Udall’ to commemorate the late wife of the founder of Thrive, the late Rev. Dr Geoffrey Udall, who bequeathed his Beech Hill estate in Berkshire, now home to the charity’s head office and gardens. The variety was selected for its pretty graduated pink petals and heavenly scent – ideal for garden display and home-made cut flower bouquets. It will retail from January 2016 at £2.99 for 25 seeds.

As well as retail outlets at its main gardening projects, Thrive also has a network of local retailers who show their support for the charity as Friends of Thrive. Many of them will be retailing the sweet pea in the Berkshire area.