How a group of volunteers saved Oldway Gardens

It’s difficult to imagine Oldway Mansion without its famous heritage gardens. However, without the Oldway Gardens Volunteer Group it's hard to say what state they would now be in, or whether they'd even be there at all.

Referred to as the Jewel in the Crown of Torbay, the 17-acre gardens of Oldway Mansion were originally constructed between 1873 and 1875 for the founder of the Singer sewing machine company, Isaac Merritt Singer.

Over time, the style and structure changed, but the beauty and importance to Torbay remained.

That was until 2019, when Torbay Council pulled out of the garden’s stewardship.

“The council said they didn’t have any money and would have to withdraw from Oldway,” said Jo Jones, the Secretary and Trustee of the Oldway Gardens Volunteer Group.

“They approached Tim Eley, who’s now our Chairman, and asked if he could do anything. He then called a public meeting on what could be done to help Oldway and then that’s how we started.”

The group had next to nothing to work with. All tools would have to be brought in and donated. The sheds next to the mansion that the group now works from were derelict and collapsing.

“We literally began with nothing,” Joe remembers. “When I first went up there I took my own bucket and spade went from there.”

Over time, the ball started rolling and the group gained momentum. Everything from lawnmowers to flower pots was donated. The group even got their hands on a couple of pairs of pond waders to help restore the pond. “The guys used to go in shorts, but they wanted those a little more when we figured out there were leeches in there,” said Vice-Chair Pete Welsby.

Over 30,000 hours of voluntary work has transformed Oldway Gardens and the group has become one of the largest voluntary gardening groups in the South West.

Money was raised through selling plants and operating a tea hut that runs throughout the summer. In the summer, the group would even take buckets up to the coaches of tourists to get any donations they could.

“When we first started it was a real challenge,” Pete said.

“Everything was so overgrown and it was just a case of getting everything under control. It was a massive challenge and could be quite demoralising. But once the group got larger, we could focus on new projects.”

The hard work has definitely paid off. The gardens have become a haven for wildlife and an invaluable asset to the community. The shed now bristles with tools and the plant and diverse plant nursery next to it. The group even has a workshop where tools can be repaired on-site.

Everything you see in Oldway Gardens is funded and maintained by about 60 regular members of the volunteer group as well as countless other part-timers from all walks of life. After years of wrangling, the council now picks up green waste and mows the largest of the lawns.

The scale of the task means that Oldway Gardens Volunteers Group has now become a registered charity and a well-organised outfit.

Pete said: “When the council talk to us, they think they’re dealing with a Micky Mouse group, but we actually have our own chartered accountant and legal representative in London. That’s down to the people that are involved in this group.

“We're keen on this being a large group of people who can come along for various reasons and enjoy what they do, but we’re highly structured underneath.”

The volunteers don't just focus on the gardens; they also provide gardening sessions to people with special educational needs and participate in the government’s Community Payback scheme for offenders.

Oldway Gardens Volunteer Group has now been acknowledged for their contributions to the community through awards such as the High Sheriff award they received in December last year.

The group is now trying to use the garden to emphasise the sea views that Oldway Mansion was once famous for. They’re also experimenting with wildflowers and different plant species that can establish themselves and ‘feed’ the garden.

With the mansion already in a sorry state, it's unclear what the future would have been for the entire estate had the gardens been abandoned.

The beauty of what you see at Oldway is purely down to the dogged determination of the Oldway Gardens Volunteer Group.

Jo said: “If we hadn’t done something four years ago, I like to think somehow, something would have happened. Because there are so many people with a passion for Oldway.”

Pete added: “If you’re going to try and save something, you've got to go all in. When you get problems, you either give in or you kick like mad.”