Support Stoke Mandeville spinal injuries patients with Fabulous Summer Tea Party

Joanna Lumley, ambassador of charity Horatio's Garden, is encouraging everyone to take up their teapots in aid of the third annual Horatio's Garden Fabulous Summer Tea Party, which raises funds to support people at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and across the country affected by spinal injury.

The countrywide fundraising event is all about appreciating gardens and natural spaces whilst simultaneously celebrating family and friendship. Together, these elements of our lives that have shown themselves to be immensely valuable throughout the past year and with lockdown restrictions easing, this summer will be the perfect time to reunite with your loved ones whilst giving back to a charity in need of your help.

Sharing her support for the event, Joanna said: "Patients with spinal injuries need your support more than ever and you can make a huge difference to people facing difficult times by simply having a cuppa – or even a glass of fizz! – and donating via the Horatio's Garden website."

Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, Horatio's Garden have continued to lend a horticultural hand to people adjusting to life-changing spinal cord injuries in NHS hospitals across the UK, as well as to the clinical teams who care for them. 

Their stunning, accessible and expertly designed gardens have remained open against all odds. The havens have not only been vital for people's physical rehabilitation and the psychological wellbeing of patients and staff alike, but have also provided a beautiful outdoor space where visitors can safely see their loved ones, who on average spend upwards of two months in hospital.

With five thriving projects to support and a sixth due to be opening in autumn this year, every penny raised at your Fabulous Summer Tea Party will make an enormous difference.

You can host your very own Fabulous Summer Tea Party anytime and anywhere; as long as it's within government guidelines, the more innovative, the better!

There's also the opportunity to get involved on social media by simply sharing a #TeaForChange selfie featuring your favourite brew, texting TEA to 70450 to donate £5 and challenging three people to do the same.

Inviting your family, friends, colleagues and anyone else you can think of to be part of this fantastic celebration couldn't be simpler. Together we can all be part of something special this summer and help Horatio's Garden to improve the lives of everyone affected by spinal injury now and for many years to come. Nationwide Engineering and Birchall Tea are lending their support to this event for the second year running.