And after the constraints and disruptions of ‘the Covid years’, what a delight it has been to witness HighGround’s work returning to normal rates of effort across both parts of our charitable work.

At the DMRC, Stanford Hall, Jane and Andy continue to do an outstanding job in delivering Horticultural Therapy to rehabilitating servicemen and women. We have continued to develop and expand our onsite facilities and it has been delightful this year to see the ‘village green’ area alongside our greenhouse being revamped with new raised beds and walkways to further expand our ability to deliver our therapeutic work. I know that the CO at DMRC, Gp Capt Chris Rowley, shares my pride in the role that HighGround plays within his rehabilitation unit’s work.

I thank everyone at Stanford Hall for encouraging us and enabling us to do what we do and very much look forward to together taking forward our work in the coming year. Please click here to see Stanford Hall – 12 months in pictures.

On the employment assistance side of our work, Tim has orchestrated a highly successful series of Rural Weeks and Virtual Rural Weeks which have enabled scores of beneficiaries to focus their resettlement thinking and help start new working lives in the land-based sector. To Sarah, Chris, and the team at Bicton College I extend a hearty thank you for our amazing partnership.

The broader financial backdrop in the charity sector remains extremely challenging and Anna (our founder and very much the glue that holds the charity together!) fights relentlessly to secure funding to enable us to do what we do. I thank our entire HighGround team for their unrelenting efforts and am hugely grateful to my Board of Trustees for their tireless efforts to keep our small charity on track and heading in the right direction!