Personal Stories
Perennial helps over 1,400 people each year battling illness, financial hardship, bereavement, disability and many more of life’s challenges. Here we share some of their incredible stories and explain how Perennial was able to help them get back on their feet.
Helping Andy and his family find a way forward
Landscape gardener Andy Perry lost his leg after being bitten by a spider and developing sepsis. When he was at his lowest, […]
Jack has come full circle at York Gate
Jack Ogg is Senior Gardener at York Gate, Perennial’s garden near Leeds in Yorkshire. He was the garden's first trainee horticulturist and […]
A reassuring friend for Stephen and Vicki
Stephen is a landscape gardener and has spent much of his career building domestic gardens for people in and around Leeds. He […]
Helping look after Leigh when he couldn't look after himself
Leigh is a single parent with a son in college. He has been a self-employed domestic landscaper for 7 years with the […]
How Perennial is changing lives
Perennial exists to help people who work in or are retired from any aspect of horticulture. In this short film, three Perennial […]
Keeping Richard gardening: how the National Garden Scheme supports Perennial's work
Richard Brind is a retired gardener who enjoyed a very long horticultural career. From a young age he tended gardens for the […]
Marek's & Ann Marie's story: watch our short film
Marek worked as a tree surgeon and conservation manager at a golf course before his accident. He had a young family, with a […]
Anthony's Story - watch our short film
Anthony is one of hundreds of self-employed horticulturists Perennial helps each year. His journey, from chaos and uncertainty to sanctuary and safety […]
Martin's Story - watch our short film
When Martin was struck down with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare auto-immune disease he was signed off work for three years. Barely able […]
Helping Sarah cope with cancer challenges
Sarah (aged 63) has been a self-employed garden designer for the past 12 years. After bringing up her child as a lone […]
Perennial helps with funeral costs for greenkeeper Gary
Funeral costs are rising at four times the rate of inflation and by more than 112% over the last thirteen years. Funeral […]
Child bursary provides help at school for Alison’s* children
Alison* has an established self-employed gardening round and her husband Stuart* works at a garden centre. They have two children in primary […]
Perennial Children's Fund helps William's* son with essential school equipment
William* is a self-employed gardener. He has several regular customers but over the winter, bad weather and ill health prevent him from […]
A trusted friend for Catherine
Catherine* is 62 and has worked in horticulture for most of her life. She is currently unable to work due to severe anxiety […]
Supporting Simon through the winter
Simon* was a landscape gardener but due to ongoing debilitating mental health issues has been unable to work for many years. Last […]
Helping Graham* and his family as he recovered from major surgery
Graham*, a self-employed garden contractor, was diagnosed with a rare eye condition that left him unable to work. He had undergone surgery […]
Helping George in later life and through bereavement
George* first approached Perennial 15 years ago when he was forced to retire early from his gardening career due to ill health. […]
Supporting Billy* through tough times
Billy* first contacted Perennial in 2010. He had worked as a groundsman for 10 years since being discharged from the army with […]
Adding Colour To Vincent's* Retirement
Vincent* spent almost his entire working life as a gardener on private estates. When a stroke dramatically changed his retirement plans, Perennial […]
Keeping Richard safe in retirement
“I was a teacher originally but I gave it up to follow my love of gardening and pursue that as a career. […]
Perennial Cared For Angela*
The couple have a disabled teenage child they both care for and they soon struggled to pay their rent from their reduced […]
Sean's life-changing accident won't define him
In March 2015 self-employed tree surgeon Sean Harding had a life-changing accident at work that left him paralysed and unable to walk. […]
Peter Finds Perennial Invaluable
He describes the help he and his family have received as ‘invaluable’ and believes the industry can do more to raise awareness […]
Perennial helps Dunkirk veteran stay independent
Raymond Whitwell was part of the rear guard at Dunkirk 75 years ago. Left on the beach when no boat came back […]
A Lifeline for Beryl After Bereavement
When Beryl’s husband, Maurice, was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she desperately needed somewhere to turn for support and advice. A landscape gardener, Maurice […]
Barry Makes Every Second Count
In hospital for almost a year, he's paralysed from the shoulders down. Perennial has been there to help him on what's been […]
John Foley - driven to succeed
"Perennial helped my family when my Dad became ill and all the family went through a difficult time. Dad not being able […]
A Life-Belt in the Flood for Kate
Kate attended horticultural college in the 1980s and worked in nursery stock production in various wholesale nurseries throughout the South of England. She […]
Helping Belinda* Through The Toughest Times
She was left with two teenage children to support and the shock of widowhood had caused her to become unwell herself, unable […]
Tobi Stays On Course For Success
Tobi Daniels has worked in horticulture since leaving school at the age of 16. Now, at 27, he is married with young […]
We're There Long-Term for Andrew*
He had worked for his local authority Parks and Landscapes department for over 26 years but had to leave his job in […]
The Future's Bright for John*
But when he became ill and too frail to work, John’s dream retirement turned into a nightmare as the exchange rate reduced […]
Helping Don* Get His Life Back on Track
Living alone and sinking into depression, he ignored the bills and his debts spiralled to such an extent that he was forced […]
Bursary Helped Save Sam’s* Business
His mother continued to run the nursery and care for her husband while Sam helped in the nursery as much as he […]
Andy* Retrained After Illness
He lives with his partner who works part time and they have children of school age. Andy had been given information about […]
