A year after delighting crowds at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024, the Panathlon Joy Garden has officially opened at its new permanent home, the Marjorie McClure School in Chislehurst, London.
Designed by Penelope Walker of Llevelo Garden Design and supported by Project Giving Back, the vibrant and inclusive garden made headlines as the first-ever wheelchair-accessible garden in Chelsea’s ‘All About Plants’ category. The Panathlon Joy Garden won a Silver Gilt award at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024 and, now it continues its legacy in the grounds of Marjorie McClure, a school for children and young people aged 4–19 with complex medical needs and physical disabilities.
The official unveiling of the garden, held on Friday 6th June 2025, was a joyful occasion filled with colour, smiles and celebration. The school’s chair of the local committee, Andrew Stammers, has worked closely with a team of dedicated local volunteers in lovingly maintaining the garden over the past year. Andrew said, “Every time I come into the garden, it makes me smile. This is a project for further generations of students to enjoy the wonders of nature.”
The event provided an opportunity to reflect on how the garden, originally visited by over 150,000 people at Chelsea, has continued to inspire and uplift. Volunteer gardener Janet commented: “It is a privilege to help and maintain this amazing garden.”
Project Giving Back’s Isabella Nunes da Costa, seeing the garden in situ for the first time since its relocation, said: “Wow, it is way beyond expectations, I’m blown away by how amazing it looks!”
Headteacher Rebecca Cottage added: “The garden brings joy and colour, and encourages the love of the outdoors, flowers and gardening. The children truly love it.”
Marjorie McClure School has a deep-rooted connection with Panathlon, having been one of the first schools to participate in its inclusive sporting competitions since 2005. Over the years, students have competed in Panathlon events across London and the south-east, and now the spirit of Panathlon continues to bloom on their very own school grounds.
Adil Ghani, a former pupil of the school who became a trustee of the Panathlon charity, recognises the benefit for both parties, commenting: “This garden was always about more than flowers; it was about joy, accessibility, and creating a space where difference is not just accepted, but celebrated. It’s a fitting legacy for Panathlon’s hard work at Chelsea Flower Show to live on here for all to see for many years to come, and it’s wonderful to see that vision come to life at Marjorie McClure.”
Guests at the official opening also included Alison Wright from St. James’s Place Foundation and Erik Armellino from Aspen. Both organisations are long-standing supporters of Panathlon and were instrumental in bringing the Joy Garden to life at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2024, providing enthusiastic volunteers from their organisations. Their continued support has helped ensure the garden’s enduring impact. Special thanks also go to the Woodland Group, who generously transported the garden from Chelsea to its new home at Marjorie McClure School.
