Dame Helen Mirren attended this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show in her role as a Prince's Trust Ambassador.
She visited the Burncoose Garden, as well as meeting a Trust-supported gardening business.
Since 2003, Prince’s Trust Patron Terra Firma Capital, has sponsored the Burncoose Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show where they promote the support they give to The Trust.
Terra Firma Capital have been proud Patrons of The Prince’s Trust for ten years and their support has helped disadvantaged young people through The Prince’s Trust Enterprise programme and xl clubs.
Dame Helen Mirren reflected on why she supports the work of The Prince’sTrust, after meeting Trust-supported gardener Dan Hallett: "I have been fortunate in life. I always knew that I wanted to work in the entertainment industry and was lucky enough to carve a successful career as well as have the support of my family.
“Sadly, others are not so lucky. Many young people don’t have the support and guidance they need to create a future for themselves, or they’ve fallen victim to the ever-present youth unemployment crisis.
“For the hundreds of thousands of young people out there who are struggling to get a foothold in life, the future can seem bleak. Youth unemployment can breed low self-esteem and sometimes even depression.
“I’m a Prince’s Trust Ambassador and a huge supporter of the youth charity’s work because they believe every young person deserves a chance in life.
“Not only do they help young people move into work, training or education, but they invest heavily in their Enterprise programme, which helps the hardest-to-reach young people set up in business.
“This is why I was thrilled to attend the RHS Chelsea Flower Show yesterday as an Ambassador for The Trust. Not only did I visit a garden which is donating valuable funds to the charity – I met with a Trust-supported young person who has successfully created his own business in the gardening world despite the tough economic climate.”
A professional soldier, Dan Hallett returned from Iraq after the birth of his daughter, physically and mentally exhausted. Suffering from flashbacks, he concluded the army was no longer for him.
Once discharged, he went through a series of low-paid jobs to support his family. Around this time, his relationship ended leaving Dan with two young children to support.
He struggled to get by, experiencing periods of depression and loneliness. Doubting his abilities, Dan had lost confidence and belief in himself.
Things began to look up when he approached The Prince’s Trust for supporting in starting a gardening business.
He went through The Trust’s Enterprise programme, which has helped 80,000 young entrepreneurs since 1983 with support from funders like RBS. This made him realise that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. With this support and funding, he managed to start his own business ‘Gardeners R Us’.
Today, Dan is a different person to the world-weary ex-soldier he once was. His business is going from strength to strength and he has taken on 30 new clients in the past two months alone. Dan is also creating jobs for others in his local community, having already recruited three members of staff to help him grow his business.
It is also incredibly inspiring that Dan’s main goal is to provide for his family and be a positive role model to his children.
Dame Helen Mirren said, “It is stories like Dan’s which remind me why I’m so proud to be an Ambassador for The Trust. The economic climate has hit young people the hardest, leaving them exposed to low self-esteem and unemployment. With our help, The Prince’s Trust can help turn around tens of thousands of lives every year.”
Source: Prince's Trust
