History
Several years ago five large mental hospitals were situated in and around St. Albans. With the closure of all but one - Harperbury still operates a limited service - residents moved into scattered residential accommodation. Daytime activities were (and still sometimes are) very limited within old established day centres and the Earthworks steering committee was established in 1990 to meet the aspirations of people with learning difficulties for social involvement and creative occupation. The aim was to enable them to work alongside others as equals.
Following extensive consultation with service users, carers and Social Services over five years, land-based activity was identified as the most popular creative occupation and so the volunteer steering committee planned to offer training and work experience in horticulture, conservation and construction.
In 1995 the two-acre site of waste ground off Hixberry Lane, St. Albans (next door to the old mental hospitals of Cell Barnes and Hill End) was rented from the council and the range of activities for training and work experience expanded steadily. We still have a a few trainees who have been long-term residents in these hospitals and had consequently become institutionalised. Most of these trainees have both learning difficulties (moderate to severe) and mental health problems. Other, younger trainees have usually not been resident in a mental hospital and may only have learning difficulties.
In the same year a full-time Project Leader (Tim Wright) was employed by the volunteer Management Committee and the training site development started rapidly at Hixberry Lane. All construction was carried out by our own teams, using reclaimed materials where possible.
Timeline
| 1996 | Reclaimed wooden site building erected. Woodland and orchard planted. |
| 1997 | Compost toilets and reed bed sewage system installed. |
| 1998 | Propagation area and wildflower meadow started. |
| 1999 | Garden Contracts Project and Farmers' Market stall begun. |
| 2000 | Wind turbine and solar PV panel installed. Tree nursery started. Millennium Maze Project in Highfield Park. |
| 2001 | New metal site building erected to replace wooden one destroyed in a fire. Wood stove installed for heating, burning waste wood. |
| 2002 | Market Garden Project started with the renovation of a large polytunnel. Dry river bed garden developed. |
| 2003 | Charcoal burning and willow workshops begin. Green Pennant award achieved. |
| 2004 | Straw bale/cob building started. Wildlife totem pole erected at the Millennium Maze. Green Pennant award renewed. Investors in People award achieved. |
| 2005 | Pathways and access points to the site widened to extend access for wheelchair users. Our tenth anniversary! A Members' List for active supporters is created. |
| 2006 | Earthworks receives the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. |