EAST Oxford’s Elder Stubbs festival, set among allotments tended by people with mental health problems, has celebrated its 20th birthday.

The combination of flowers, food and live music drew hundreds of people to charity Restore’s allotments and workshops, near Florence Park, for the unique event on the festival calendar.

With music stages nestling among the sunflowers, and noodles, jerk chicken and goat burgers on sale amid rows of runner beans, even the light rain could not dampen the festival’s feelgood vibe on Saturday.

The charity, founded 30 years ago, works with 20 people with mental health problems every day at the Elder Stubbs allotments.

Over the years, it has helped thousands of people overcome depression.

It encourages them to work on the charity’s vegetable patches, cook fresh food at the centre’s cafe, and create sculptures in a specialist workshop.

Recovery co-ordinator Jan Bailey said: “We really look forward to the festival each year, and work very hard towards it. It is wonderful seeing all the work we have put in come to fruition.

“The environment is completely different to any other festival, and a lot of people just come here to look at the allotments.

“The work we do is crucially important to the people who come here.

“It gives them back confidence, it builds up self-esteem, and we all help to support each other and work together.”

Among the musicians entertaining festivalgoers was jazz pianist Nick Gill, who was referred to Restore last year with clinical depression.

He is now a volunteer at the charity.

Mr Gill said: “I am sure that it accelerated my recovery.

“Every day I came in to Elder Stubbs, I would feel a bit better by the afternoon, and much better by the evening.

“The work struck me as a very healthy thing to be doing.

“I got the exercise, social interaction, and sense of purpose, and it got me working with people who shared a common goal.

“It helps to ground you with a strong sense of reality, working with people from all different backgrounds.”

Maria Mendonza, 37, from East Oxford, said she had brought her four-year-old daughter Elise to the festival for the past three years.

She added: “Every time we come, the first thing Elise has to have done is get her face painted, and then we see all the wooden animals and meet up with all the other people who have brought their children. It is a great day.”

Beatrice Yeadon, from Donnington Bridge, brought two-year-old son Rocco to the festival for the first time.

She said: “The food and the flowers are amazing, and it is a really beautiful setting.

“We have got our own allotment in Abingdon Road, so we came to be nosey and compare marrows.”