Brighterway at the New Forest Show 2025: A Gold Medal Week to Remember
What an incredible week it’s been for Brighterway at the New Forest Show 2025! With over 90,000 visitors flooding through the gates – a significant jump from 2024’s 72,000 – this year’s event was a powerful platform to showcase our mission, creativity, and community spirit.
We were proud to represent Brighterway in two vibrant spaces on Northern Avenue:
- Our joint Brighterway & Hampshire & Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS stand: this featured CPR demos, engaging “have-a-go” sessions, and plenty of public interaction, and
- The standout attraction of the week was our award-winning Incredible Edible Garden. It captured the hearts and minds of visitors and judges alike!
Watch our highlight reel: Click to watch the event summary video
A Gold Medal for Mental Health and Nature
In our very first year entering a show garden, we’re proud to say that Brighterway’s Incredible Edible Garden won a Gold Medal! And beyond the award, the garden symbolised something even more meaningful – the healing connection between nature, community, and mental health.
Created in collaboration with patients and staff across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, the garden featured:
- Sensory planting spaces
- Hand-painted pots and upcycled materials
- Beautiful, sustainable landscaping
These were all designed to spark joy, reflection, and conversations about mental wellbeing.
This garden was made possible by a grant from NHS Charities Together, awarded in 2021 to support community-based mental health recovery projects following the COVID-19 pandemic. Four years later, its legacy continues to bloom.
A Garden That Grows Beyond the Show
True to our sustainable values, nothing in the garden will go to waste. Plants and materials from the Incredible Edible Garden are already being replanted across NHS sites, including Southfield and Bluebird, where they’ll provide calming, restorative spaces for patients, staff, and visitors for years to come.
“The most important thing is how Brighterway’s connection with supporting mental health has been put on another level,” smiled Brighterway Charity Manager Phil Pride.
Collaboration, Community, and Connection
The success of this year’s New Forest Show wasn’t just about the spaces — it was about the people. We had:
- Nine passionate volunteers, including staff using their annual charity day and others giving their time freely
- Three NHS Governors in attendance
- CPR demos and wellbeing activities that proved hugely popular with children and families
- Engaging conversations with members of the public about the work of the NHS Trust and Brighterway
- Incredible networking opportunities that helped plant seeds for future partnerships
We were also delighted to welcome TV gardening legends Charlie Dimmock and David Domoney, who visited our garden and shared their support and praise.
Watch our interview on That’s TV Solent here: https://x.com/TTVSolent/status/1951013316144537933
Thank You
We want to thank everyone who made this week possible – from the designers, staff, and volunteers, to our partners across the Trust and NHS Charities Together for their invaluable support. This project was truly a collaborative triumph, and a shining example of what’s possible when we blend creativity, community, and care.
If you missed our pre-show blog, you can still read about our hopes and plans leading into the event here: Brighterway at the New Forest Show 2025 – Pre-show Blog
Let’s Keep Growing
This year’s New Forest Show has shown what’s possible when we bring people, purpose, and plants together. Brighterway will continue championing mental health through the power of nature. We’re already looking forward to what comes next.
Stay connected with us and explore how you can support mental health recovery across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight: www.brighterway.org.uk