BLENHEIM Palace has officially adopted a mental health recovery service as its charity of the year.

Bridewell is a mental health recovery service which provides social and therapeutic horticulture in a working walled garden for adults living in Oxfordshire.

Its goal is to help people into jobs or voluntary roles in the wider community.

As part of its support, the Woodstock palace will undertake a series of fundraising and awareness building activities and events throughout the year as well as forging closer links between their own gardening team and the Bridewell Gardeners and volunteers.

Blenheim’s Head of Human Resources Sarah Morris said: “Each year we collectively choose a charity of the year which is locally based and reflects the wishes and concerns of our own staff.

“Mental health and wellbeing is something which affects all of us in one form or another at some time in our lives.

“Linking up with Bridewell is a tremendous opportunity both to support a great cause and also find out more to further improve our own in-house initiatives and we’re looking forward to sharing gardening and horticultural tips."

Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) practitioners use gardening as a familiar hands-on activity to help individuals transform aspects of their lives. It's goal-led and the focus is on overcoming barriers to recovery.

Last year Blenheim staff raised £14,500 for Maggie’s Oxford.

For more information about events at the World Heritage Site go to the website at blenheimpalace.com.