The University of Oxford and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust project created a therapeutic horticulture garden at the Meadow Unit, a Tier 4 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) psychiatric intensive care unit.

Designed for young people in acute mental health crisis who need intensive, highly supervised care, the unit featured an outdoor area that staff described as ‘barren’ and ‘depressing’.

The project was part of a broader study into how nature can support recovery and benefit wellbeing for both patients and staff, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre.

One co-researcher reflected: “It was so barren out there and depressing… so actually having some wildlife there, some plants, some bees, it adds some humanity.”

The scheme was developed through co-production, with medical and non-medical staff, ex-service users, estates colleagues, researchers, and a therapeutic horticulturalist collaborating over seven sessions between January and July 2024.

They discussed all aspects of the garden, prioritising colour, scent, herbs for cooking, places to sit, things to touch while ensuring every plant met strict safety requirements.

Estates staff improved topsoil and installed a cladded path for safe, mud-free access.

A layered planting design was selected to encourage biodiversity and attract pollinators while remaining safe and manageable.

On planting days, team members – including consultants, nurses, ex-service users, and receptionists – worked side by side in the soil, sparking discussions about where to put the lavender.

As the garden took shape, staff reported seeing more worms and bees.

The sensory engagement with the space was seen as a small but meaningful improvement to the environment.

Even patients unable to access the garden directly benefited from the view.

One staff member recalled how a patient in longer-term segregation quietly watched a flowerbed grow throughout the summer.

The garden became a ‘different horizon’ within the unit’s secure architecture.

Staff described the space as ‘a way out of the pressure cooker,’ while the project itself softened workplace hierarchies by encouraging collective, non-clinical activity.

Researchers named the approach ‘Hybrid Green Spaces’ – therapeutic environments that blur the boundaries between built and natural, inside and outside, patient and staff.

The team now advocates for treating green spaces as core therapeutic infrastructure within NHS care, not just peripheral amenities.

They believe that by supporting ‘ecological collective flourishing,’ it’s possible to create systems that care for both people and the environment.

The project was shaped by contributions from PICU staff, ex-service users, estate services, and Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) contributors, whose lived experiences enriched the development of the project.

The pictures were taken between 2002 and 2008 by Oxford Mail photographers covering days out in the spring and summer at dog show events.

Beyond the pets, many of the events included town fayres, games and market stalls, and produced classic images of Morris dancers, children eating ice cream and more.

Five-year-old Richard Butler with his Australian Dandy Dinmont dog called Lucky at the Didcot May Fair and Dog Show, 2002 (Image: Jon Lewis)

READ MORE: 13 old photos show Oxford nightlife and clubs back in 2008

Dog shows have been held for years in towns across Oxfordshire, with pictures in this gallery from Didcot, Chipping Norton, Burford, Carterton and beyond.

Some of the most adorable shots show youngsters with their beloved pets, whether or not they won accolades in the show.

Take a look back through this archive picture gallery to see if you recognise any of these dogs – or the owners pictured with them.

Alice’s Day returns on Saturday, July 4, with a programme of family-friendly events, performances and interactive experiences inspired by Lewis Carroll’s beloved character.

The festival marks the anniversary of the first telling of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, shared by Charles Dodgson with Alice Liddell and her sisters during a boating trip from Folly Bridge in 1862.

Events will take place across the city at venues including The Story Museum, Alice’s Shop, the Bodleian Library, Christ Church, the Museum of Oxford and Oxford Botanic Garden.

Conrad Bodman, CEO of The Story Museum, said: “We’re proud that Alice’s Day has become such firm fixture in Oxford’s cultural calendar.”

A highlight of this year’s celebrations will be a street theatre performance by Creation Theatre, reimagining Alice as she chases the White Rabbit.

At Westgate, Rough Magic Theatre will present the Jabberwock using a mix of shadow puppetry and live singing.

Visitors will be able to try their hand at croquet in the Master’s Garden at Christ Church and attend a Magic Lantern show in the Dodgson Room.

The Museum of Oxford will offer a special Hands-On History session exploring the objects and stories connected to Alice’s Day.

At the Weston Library, storyteller Lucy Walters will perform tales from Wonderland.

The Bodleian Library will also host talks from the Lewis Carroll Society.

The Story Museum will offer half-price entry to its galleries, including Small Worlds, and a full day of themed activities.

These will include face painting, poetry with the Oxford Poetry Library, a giant interactive board game, and a talk by author Anna James about her latest book, Alice With a Why.

Afternoon tea will be served in the Story Museum’s Magic Common Room, with traditional sandwiches, cakes, and treats.

The event is sponsored this year by law firm Howes Percival.

Alice’s Day is held on the first Saturday of July each year, close to the date of Carroll’s original storytelling in 1862.

The festival commemorates not just a story, but a turning point in children’s literature and Oxford’s literary legacy.

Mr Bodman said: “Over the years, we’ve welcomed Alice fans from around the world who want to celebrate an enduring literary icon.”

After the publication of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Oxford became known worldwide as a centre for children’s storytelling, inspiring writers such as Kenneth Grahame, CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien and Philip Pullman.