Gardeners’ World mum fights back tears as she pays emotional tribute to daughter who tragically died aged 20

BBC GARDENERS’ World Live show was an emotional day for many but none more so than Andrea Childs who raised more than £1,000 for a cause close to her heart. 

In moving scenes the heartbroken mum paid tribute to her late daughter Beth who tragically died aged just 20.

The show, which took place at NEC Birmingham from June 15 to 18, always draws a massive crowd with people of many different backgrounds. 

Keen gardener Andrea, an ambassador for Cure Leukaemia, was offered the chance to design a border garden at the show. 

The purpose of the design was to tell the story of her daughter Beth, who died of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia five years ago.

Assisted by garden designer Dani King and with help from pupils at The Glynne Primary School in Kingswinford, Andrea created a garden filled with Beth’s favourite flowers – sunflowers. 

In addition to the glorious flora, children from the school decorated stones and made paintings, all based on the theme of teaching and children. 

Before her death Beth had been training to be a teacher. 

The stunning garden attracted interest from the show’s thousands of visitors, as well as famous names including TV gardener Carol Klein and ex-England, Wolves and Crystal Palace footballer Geoff Thomas. 

Andrea was overcome when she was presented with The Community Endeavour Award.

She said: “The judges commented on how moved they were by the passion, feelings and love the garden created.”

Explaining how not only were sunflowers Beth’s favourite flower but after her death, another woman who had a child with leukaemia grew some sunflowers and gave Andrea the seeds.

And it’s from these original flowers that Andrea has grown hundreds of plants each yearn collecting the seeds to resell for Cure Leukaemia.

Andrea said: “We shared sad and happy experiences with many members of the public across the four-day show and by selling Beth’s Sunflower seeds and other sunflower merchandise raised over £1,000 for the charity.”