Established in 1994, Bridewell Gardens specialises in the field of social & therapeutic horticulture to support people whose lives have been significantly affected by mental ill-health to work towards recovery. Bridewell Gardens provides a safe and nurturing environment where people can work together to create and develop a stunning walled garden and care for a 5-acre vineyard.

Dr Sue Stuart-Smith is a prominent psychiatrist and psychotherapist, completed her degree in English literature at Cambridge before qualifying as a doctor. She worked in the National Health Service for many years, becoming the lead clinician for psychotherapy in Hertfordshire. She currently teaches at The Tavistock Clinic in London and is consultant to the DocHealth service. Stuart-Smith’s book, The Well Gardened Mind, which analyses the relationship between gardening and mental health, has raised awareness of how gardening and nature can be a powerful tool in recovery.

Bridewell’s Board of Trustees volunteer their time to provide governance and support. As representatives of the community Bridewell supports, the Trustees bring their skills and lived experiences and with backgrounds in business, the charitable sector and health.

“Gardening is unique amongst the creative therapies in drawing on the power of nature’s growth and in the extent to which it brings together the emotional, physical, social, vocational and spiritual aspects of life. Bridewell is an inspiration and I’m thrilled to be a Patron,” said Stuart-Smith.