Registered Charity No. 1190656
About the Trust
The aims of this non-profit-making trust are twofold: to encourage and improve the science, art, and practice of horticulture and to support both our Charity of the Year and the Adam Greathead Award.
Fund-raising for 2026:
- Charity of the Year (Beth’s Sunflowers): £9,817.95
- The Adam Greathead Award: £9,227.95
Total as of 24/07/2026: £19,045.90
The trust has two main purposes
- The encouragement and improvement of the science, art and practice of horticulture in all its branches.
- To advance such charitable purposes (according to the law in England and Wales) as the trustees see fit from time to time by making grants to other charities.
The trustees will select individual beneficiaries to receive grants and/or mentoring who demonstrate a passion and aptitude for pursuing a career in horticulture, prioritising those who would otherwise struggle to do so, whether because of lack of financial means, contacts or experience.
With regard to other charitable purposes, the trust currently has a preference for local and national charities with an emphasis on research and/or palliative care. This could include charities providing facilities for care and well-being, such as emergency services, local hospices, and schools providing facilities for those with disabilities or learning difficulties. Priority would be given to those where funding by government or local authorities is inadequate or totally absent.
Ashwood Charity of the Year 2026
The Ashwood Charitable Trust has nominated
Beth’s Sunflowers as our Charity of the Year 2026.
Beth’s Sunflowers is a local charity established in tribute to Beth, who sadly died of blood cancer in 2018, just two months before her 21st birthday. Their mission is to raise awareness of blood cancer and fund vital research and clinical trials, while continuing to keep Beth’s legacy alive.
The Adam Greathead Award
A unique opportunity sponsored by The Ashwood Charitable Trust, the Adam Greathead Award allows an aspiring horticulturist to spend twelve months working and learning in two renowned gardens.
The successful applicant will spend six months at Great Dixter, East Sussex, the garden of the late great Christopher Lloyd which is now a centre for horticultural education and a huge source of inspiration to everyone who visits.
They will also spend six months at John Massey’s private garden at Ashwood Nurseries near Kingswinford in the West Midlands. John’s Garden is an outstanding garden with a remarkable plant collection and widely acknowledged as one of the finest private gardens in the UK.
How does the Charitable Trust raise money?
The Ashwood Charitable Trust is supported by part of the admission charges for John’s Garden, as well as by private donations and grants. It distributes money received to the Ashwood Charity of the Year and the Adam Greathead Award. Grants, along with some donations, are specifically for the Adam Greathead Award.
We are extremely grateful to have received support for the Adam Greathead Award from the following:
Grace Charity | The Studley Trust | The Finnis Scott Foundation | The Worshipful Company of Gardeners.
We would also like to thank the many other people who have so generously donated to both charities. Every donation, no matter how small, is gratefully received for this worthy cause.
Donate to the Ashwood Charitable Trust
If you would like to make a private donation to the Ashwood Charitable Trust, please use the button below to donate online. We also accept cheques, and have collection tins positioned in our shops for visitors to the nursery.
Donations will be split equally between our Charity of the Year and the Adam Greathead Award, unless otherwise requested.
Please contact us; either online, by phone or letter, with your donation to enable us to acknowledge receipt and to say thank you!
Ashwood Charitable Trust (Registered Charity No. 1190656)