QICN receives significant funding from the National Garden Scheme
3 December 2025
The National Garden Scheme has announced that following a record year of fundraising, over £3.8 million will be donated to UK charities, primarily supporting nursing and caring organisations, including The Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing (QICN), which will receive £475,000.
This generous donation represents a continuation of the long-standing partnership between the National Garden Scheme and QICN and will play a vital role in supporting community nursing services and initiatives across the UK.
Sustained Support, Lasting Impact
- The 2025 total donations from the National Garden Scheme reached £3,875,596, reflecting a remarkable increase from previous years and highlighting the enduring popularity and impact of garden visits for charitable causes.
- This ongoing support ensures the continuation of the Queen’s Nurse programme, including leadership development, professional networks, and Elsie Wagg Innovation projects that harness gardening and green spaces to promote health and wellbeing.
A Partnership Rooted in History and Shared Values
Since its creation in 1927, the National Garden Scheme has maintained a close working relationship with the QICN – which founded the National Garden Scheme as a way to fundraise for nurses in the community. Over the decades, the National Garden Scheme has become the QICN’s most significant charitable funder.
It’s nearly 100 years since our charity was formed to support district nursing, and our commitment to nursing care remains central. Long-term partnerships with Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Parkinson’s UK, the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing, Hospice UK and Carers Trust are the bedrock of our donation programme. With the lion’s share of this year’s donation; £2,725,000 going to these much-loved nursing and healthcare charities.
As the NHS and Social Care sectors struggle to deal with the scale of need, the sustained funding from the National Garden Scheme allows these charities to continue the provision of critical community nursing services, end of life care, and respite for families and carers across the UK.
Dr Richard Claxton, Chief Executive, National Garden SchemeWe are incredibly grateful to the National Garden Scheme and for the continued generosity of garden owners who opened their garden to the public, volunteers, and visitors, whose support enables the National Garden Scheme to fund essential nursing and health services.
Their support enables us to continue developing vital networks and programmes for community nurses, helping them to deliver high-quality, compassionate care across the UK.
As we look ahead to 2026, we are proud to continue our partnership with the National Garden Scheme and to use this generous support to benefit community nurses and the people and communities they serve.
Steph Lawrence MBE, Chief Executive, The QICNVisit a garden and support the QICN
Find an open garden to visit near you: https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/
Cover photo: courtesy of the National Garden Scheme, Dorset, Hogchester Farm
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