Mr Pink's plants
13 March 2025
At Sobell House, we are incredibly fortunate to have the support of individuals like Tony Pink, whose dedication to our charity goes beyond words. For over four years, Tony has been generously donating homegrown plants to three of our shops – Wantage, Thame, and Little Clarendon Street in Oxford – providing a pop of colour to our store displays.
Tony’s connection to Sobell House is a deeply personal one: “My late wife and I were gardeners – growers, if you like,” he explains. “We had a greenhouse, and we used to grow plants. We decided to donate them to Sobell House, and that’s what we did for a while, but then my wife became unwell, and Sobell’s team cared for her at home for over a year. It was a wonderful service, and when she passed away, she asked me to keep donating the plants, so that’s exactly what I’ve done. It’s my way of giving something back.”
Since then, Tony has been working tirelessly to provide high-quality plants for sale, supporting Sobell House’s mission and keeping his late wife’s memory alive. He sources his plants from a supplier in Staffordshire, nurturing them from small ‘plug plants’ into vibrant, ready-to-sell flowers. Tony now maintains two greenhouses, looking after up to 600 plants at a time! From winter primroses and violas, to summer begonias and petunias, he ensures his plants change with the seasons to meet the needs of the shops and their customers.
Tony’s commitment doesn’t end with plant donations to our shops; he also sells plants from his garage in Wallingford, with all the proceeds in aid of Sobell House. “It goes up and down,” Tony says. “Some weeks I don’t sell much, but then I’ll get a customer who buys half a dozen plants – every little bit helps.” Despite his busy schedule – walking his dog and his daughter’s dog twice a day, and working in his garage – Tony always finds time for his plants. “I don’t stop,” he laughs, “but it keeps me active and keeps me going.”
Tony’s kindness has made him a well-known figure at Sobell House, with staff like Susie, our Shop Manager in Wantage, praising his efforts. “We sell a lot of his plants,” she says. “Last summer, we had a week where we sold over 100 plants. People really trust Tony’s plants – they know they’re high-quality. We even have a system in place where people can return pots to him, so he doesn’t have to keep buying new ones.”
As Tony reflects on his work, he adds, “This is a lovely memory for my wife. She’s up there looking down now, saying, ‘come on, Tony, keep those flowers coming.’”
We’re so grateful to Tony for his continued support, which helps ensure that we can provide compassionate care to those who need it most.