The Cherry Trees charity and Squire’s Garden Centres Woking have forged a new partnership to support children and young people with complex disabilities in the Woking area. The charity has been chosen as the centre’s Charity of the Year for 2026-27.

The year-long partnership will help provide vital short-break respite care for children in the Woking area at the charity’s home in East Clandon. The partnership will see the garden centre fundraise through a series of events and activities.

It is aiming to raise £5,000 to support the children and families who rely on Cherry Trees. More than 60 children are supported by the charity, many of whom live or attend school in Woking and the surrounding areas.

Local parent Melody Barnett, whose son Leo, 15, has been coming to stay at Cherry Trees for over seven years, said the respite the charity provided was hugely important to her whole family.

It allows them to rest and spend quality time with each other – something which can be hard to do alongside caring for Leo, who has a severe learning disability and autism.

“It’s not just a lifeline for us, it’s also a lifeline for Leo,” Melody said. “What I really love is I know I can leave Leo at Cherry Trees, I’ve never walked away and worried.”

Rob Hope, head of partnerships at Cherry Trees, said: “To be selected by such a respected and trusted Surrey business is an honour and we are looking forward to working with the Squire’s Woking team to make the most of this year-long opportunity, raising awareness and vital funds to support the children and families who rely on us. Thank you, Squire’s.”

Jim Campion, centre manager at Squire’s Woking, said: “Squire’s Charity of the Year programme is an important part of life at the centre. As a business at the heart of the communities we serve, we’re proud to support organisations making a real difference locally.

“We’re looking forward to working with the Cherry Trees team over the next 12 months, helping to raise funds as well as awareness of the fantastic work they do for local families. We hope together we can make a really positive contribution.”

The garden centre already has a number of dates for fundraising activities, including a Christmas shopping evening on Wednesday, 4 November at which Cherry Trees will run a festive raffle.

Two weeks later will be the launch of the centre’s Christmas grotto, with £1 from every grotto ticket sold during the festive period going directly to Cherry Trees.

Cherry Trees also plans to host some fundraising collections at the centre, as well as bringing some of children and young people it cares for to visit the Woking centre.

It was founded in 1980 by a group of parents and doctors. It provides practical, emotional and financial support through short breaks, wellbeing events and financial grants.

Providing this lifeline to families costs Cherry Trees around £3.4m a year, half funded by the local authorities with the other half coming from fundraising and through donations.