Perennial Gardeners Royal Benevolent Society
Encyclopedia
Perennial - Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Society is a United Kingdom
charity
offering help and support for all those who are working or have worked in the horticultural industry, which includes professional gardeners, nurserymen and women, arboriculturists and many more.
. An Annual Dinner became the focus of fundraising and in 1852 Charles Dickens
became one of the first of numerous "celebrities" who have added their weight to the task of attracting support. His powerful speech drew attention to the circumstances of the gardener at the end of his working life:
For a hundred years Perennial continued to operate both as a pension fund
subscribed by employees - typically head gardeners - and as a charity drawing donations from the great and the good - royalty and aristocracy owning big gardens employing large staffs.
As state pensions came in during the 20th Century, Perennial's focus was on problems of accommodation, running a care home
for older gardeners and increasingly, as life expectancy
rose, retirement accommodation. Many clients had lived in traditional tied cottages.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
offering help and support for all those who are working or have worked in the horticultural industry, which includes professional gardeners, nurserymen and women, arboriculturists and many more.
History
Perennial (originally named Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Society) was founded in 1839, as an early secular caring charityCharitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
. An Annual Dinner became the focus of fundraising and in 1852 Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
became one of the first of numerous "celebrities" who have added their weight to the task of attracting support. His powerful speech drew attention to the circumstances of the gardener at the end of his working life:
"...His gains are not great and knows gold and silver more as being the colours of fruit and flowers than by their presence in his pockets. He is subjected to that kind of labour which renders him peculiarly liable to infirmity and when old age comes upon him, the gardener is, of all men perhaps, best able to appreciate the benefits of the Institution..."
For a hundred years Perennial continued to operate both as a pension fund
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
subscribed by employees - typically head gardeners - and as a charity drawing donations from the great and the good - royalty and aristocracy owning big gardens employing large staffs.
As state pensions came in during the 20th Century, Perennial's focus was on problems of accommodation, running a care home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
for older gardeners and increasingly, as life expectancy
Life expectancy
Life expectancy is the expected number of years of life remaining at a given age. It is denoted by ex, which means the average number of subsequent years of life for someone now aged x, according to a particular mortality experience...
rose, retirement accommodation. Many clients had lived in traditional tied cottages.