Business, Ferndown | Posted on November 5th, 2026 | return to news

Nursery wins Ferndown Business Award

Run by mental health charity Plants and Minds, Cherry Tree Nursery has won the Rotary Club Retail Business Award 2026.

It’s a double whammy for Cherry Tree Nursery in Bournemouth as the charity, which is run by mental health charity Plants and Minds, won the Rotary Club Retail Business Award 2026 at the Ferndown Business Awards, which was held at The Bridge House Hotel in Ferndown.

Cherry Tree, previously crowned Best Place to Work at last year’s awards, supports adults with life-impacting mental health conditions. Through therapeutic horticulture and meaningful occupation, the nursery provides a safe, supportive community where team members (service users) can rebuild confidence, develop practical skills and strengthen their connection with others.

Manager of Cherry Tree Nursery, Sandi Marshall, said: “We are absolutely delighted and incredibly proud to have won the Retail Business Award. This recognition means so much to everyone involved in our nursery and is a wonderful acknowledgement of the hard work, dedication and passion of our team.

“As a mental health charity, everything we do is rooted in supporting people to improve their mental health and wellbeing through the therapeutic benefits of horticulture. Our retail activities play an important part in this, helping us to raise vital funds while providing opportunities for our service users to develop skills, build confidence, connect with others and experience a sense of purpose and achievement.

“We would like to thank the Ferndown Business Awards organisers, everyone who voted for us, and our wonderful customers and supporters. This award belongs to our whole community, and we are truly grateful for their continued support.”

Ferndown Business Awards judges explained that Cherry Tree offered ‘quality, authenticity, expertise and purpose’ that made it stand out in a retail world that’s dominated by large chains and e-commerce websites.

Maria Tidy, community liaison officer at Plants and Minds, said: “Plants at Cherry Tree Nursery are mostly grown from seeds and cuttings by our team members. The award judges recognised this approach gives our retail business a purpose that goes far beyond sales: every plant represents someone’s time, care, skill and achievement.

“Our retail operation is fundamental to the sustainability of the charity. Around 80 per cent of the income we need to keep our charitable work running comes directly from plant sales. Every customer who chooses to buy from Cherry Tree Nursery is helping us to create opportunities, build confidence and support people who are facing significant challenges with their mental health.

“Quite simply, we care about the plants, and we care about the people who grow them. We’re thrilled that the judges acknowledged that every plant sold helps our charity to invest in people and create an environment where everyone can learn, contribute and flourish.”