First impressions
On my first visit to Bridewell I came with my key worker. I was living in supported housing at the time. I found it so calm and so welcoming but I couldn't see the point in it for me - I'm not interested in gardening. Still I came for a few visits and then I took the leap! I felt I had nothing to lose by trying.
On my first day I was really scared and didn't want to talk to anybody, but they were accepting and included me even though I wasn't talking. No one batted an eyelid. It was April/May time and I think if it had been the winter I wouldn't have kept going. I was so anxious about coming, learning a new routine and it took me about 6 months to get used to it. Then I had an extra day and it was nice to meet a different group of people. The two days were quite different - the Tuesday group was high energy, the Friday group more laid back.
I enjoyed following the process through from a seed - it's like your own personal journey - you have to see it through. You have to trust the process and give it time. You can't hurry a garden! I learned the art of patience - things can't be rushed - you need time, but time without pressure.
“You have to trust the process and give it time”
Trying new things
I enjoyed most of the activities. I really liked the grapes - such a process. Also the lavender - cutting, drying and putting in the bags for the Open Day. I made a lavender wreath - that was cool and I took it home...I enjoyed the Christmas wreaths as well. I wasn't very good at it but it was fun trying.
My keyworker at Bridewell was amazing. She gave me the push I needed but it was done with kindness. She helped me push myself out of my comfort zone for example taking up courses. There was the "Knowing Me" course which was about self-awareness and taught by an external person for 6-8 weeks. There was the Essential Gardening Skills course which was cool. It got me into the head space of going back into education and I'm now in my second year at University. I'm doing two degrees at once.
"[my keyworker]gave me the push I needed but it was done with kindness"
Changes since Bridewell
I want to end up in Legal Advocacy and am currently volunteering for a charity which focuses on abuse survivors. I have two clients who I talk to on the phone. I talk about anxiety management and pass on what I've learned. I'm autistic/neurodiverse so I have an understanding of anxiety around sensory overload and routine. The structure and routine of Bridewell really helped with that. I had trouble with touch, but the cooking sessions at Bridewell helped as you can't cook without touching stuff! I can now do a good pasta with sauce from scratch. The team told me about the Autism Cookbook which was very helpful.
I got on well with the other gardeners and have made friends with some whom I keep in touch with since I left. I was the baby in the group!
"The structure and routine of Bridewell really helped."
Confidence building
I got on with all the staff and volunteers as well. They all feel like safe people. After a year I couldn't stop talking but there was no such thing as a stupid question or a stupid comment here. I'm planning to carry on with the Connect sessions. I was scared going to the first one but found I knew quite a few people.
Prior to coming to Bridewell I found (from the age of 13) the statutory services just didn't work until I got a Community Psychiatric Nurse when I was 21 around the time I started at Bridewell and I was with her for a couple of years. She found the right cocktail of drugs for me but Bridewell was the game changer. They have time and there's no judgement either.
