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Many Hanborough residents will already be familiar with Bridewell Organic Gardens. This year (2008) the garden and vineyard will be open to the public from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the following dates: 18th May, 13th July and 14th September. Do come along either for the first time or for a return visit!

Bridewell Organic Gardens is a voluntary organisation founded in 1994 by Paul Tomlin, Prue Sykes and Linda Hann to provide land-based therapy for people suffering from a range of health problems, primarily mental health problems.

Bridewell Organic Gardens is based in the Walled Garden at Wilcote, near North Leigh.
Over 40 people attend Bridewell each week.

The Walled Garden has a long history. It is situated in rolling countryside in what was once part of the royal Wychwood Forest. The Champney family donated the land in 1555 to the City of London in trust for the recently established Bridewell Hospital near where the Fleet River (now covered over) flowed into the Thames.

The Walled Garden has changed hands many times since then and is currently in the ownership of the Cecil family of Wilcote House who lease the Walled Garden to the organisation.

Over the years since 1994, the Walled Garden has been transformed from a derelict site into a beautiful, flourishing and productive garden.

The area of the Walled Garden is 1.25 acres. The garden includes a large fishpond, an avenue of roses and fruit trees, vegetable beds, a knot garden, a herb wheel, a rockery, a soft fruit cage and greenhouses, as well as the highly original “Monet garden”, a reproduction of the famous bridge and water lilies painted by the great Impressionist master, Claude Monet.
There are also a range of workshops for blacksmithing, woodworking and crafts.

In 2000 Bridewell leased five acres of farmland adjacent to the southern wall of the Walled Garden in order to develop an organic vineyard.
In 2005 we took delivery of 730 bottles of organic white wine made from our grapes by Will Davenport in Sussex. The wine won a bronze award at its first appearance at the annual Thames and Chilterns Vineyard Association Wine Challenge.
The equally delicious 2006 vintage of Bridewell wine can be purchased from the Village Shop in Finstock.

A lively group of chickens, guinea fowl and ducks live in an enclosure in the vineyard and there are ten beehives in a plantation nearby which produce our famous honey.

Two agreeable black and white cats called Garfield and Wendy patrol the whole property.

In our forges we produce items for the garden and commissioned products. The therapeutic value of working with hot metal has been clear. The blacksmithing work is very popular with the gardeners and plans are underway to expand our range of products by setting up a social firm to produce both functional and ornamental ironwork.

The purpose of the garden is to provide a safe environment for people who are recovering from and living with primarily a range of mental health problems.

It is now understood that serious and lasting mental illness leads to loss of self-esteem and self- confidence, social exclusion and isolation. All these consequences can significantly compound the original problem.
Taking part in therapeutic activities in a social context can help the rehabilitation process for people with short and long-term mental illness.

It is this therapeutic service that we provide at Bridewell. Many gardeners have been able to rebuild their lives at their own pace, sometimes returning to employment, going to college and re- establishing family life.

In 2005 Bridewell won a Highly Commended Award in the national Impact Awards for small organisations that have made a significant contribution to community health.
In 2006 Bridewell won two further awards: the best Special Needs Garden in a competition organized by the Oxford Times and Frosts Garden Centres and the Oxfordshire Carers Forum presented Bridewell with a Care Workers Award, which is usually given to individuals; we are the only organization to have received this recognition.

If you are interested in learning more about Bridewell, have a look at our website: www.bridewellorganicgardens.co.uk.

In addition to paid staff we have an invaluable band of volunteers who help in many different ways:
· Working in the garden alongside the gardeners
· Driving the minibus
· Helping at Bridewell events
· Becoming a trustee
· Helping with administration

If you’d like to get involved or would like more information about Bridewell, please ring Alex Taylor, the General Manager of Bridewell on 01993 868445

Mary Elford and Hilary Hodgson

Trustees of Bridewell