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Entering the Watergarden in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, one can almost feel the aura of peace as you walk through the gates.
Instantly, I’m struck by the colour of the flowers, the natural environment and the crafts that are evident at first glance. It is my first time here and although I have heard lots of positive feedback on the great work of the Thomastown Camphill Community, which runs the Watergarden centre, coffee shop, gardens and art gallery, I am looking forward to experiencing it for myself.
I follow a natural path which leads me past the workshop spaces and into the cafe where I am meeting with the manager, Dorothee Beniers. A native of east Germany, she tells me about her simple upbringing in the countryside, which, surprisingly, was mostly unaffected by the erection of the Berlin Wall in 1961. She remembers when the wall was finally taken down in 1989 and the borders were once again reopened, permitting eastern Germans to travel freely to the west.
The western lifestyle took over and it was a more materialistic world
“When the wall came down, things changed in eastern Germany,” says Dorothee.“The western lifestyle took over and it was a more materialistic world. I believe it led to a loss of community in eastern Germany – life became more about money and not so much about being neighbourly. I was never comfortable with this. I worked in Germany for many years as a kindergarten teacher and also at a home for people with mental health problems, before deciding I wanted something completely different. I moved to the UK and found the Camphill Community there. Camphill had been established in Scotland in 1939 and was growing across the globe. Now there are more than 100 communities in 20 countries, with 18 located in Ireland. This sense of community was exactly what I was seeking.
“I then read an extract in a book describing the people of Ireland and the description really spoke to me. I felt a sense of warmth and feeling from the people and I really wanted to come here and feel this for myself.”
Having heard about the Watergarden, she was determined to find out more. Dorothee arranged to visit and arrived in Thomastown in 2007, just after the cafe and gardens had received a complete overhaul. The establishment had been bought by the Camphill Community in 1993, but the newly refurbished centre was a new lease of life to those working there.
Workshops and courses
Today, the Watergarden is a busy cafe where the people of Thomastown and further afield come for coffee and cake or a healthy vegetarian lunch. They are served from a spotless kitchen overseen by the watchful eye of Miriam, the kitchen manager, who is ably assisted by a team of people who come from FÁS schemes and who attend the day centre. The participants take part in a multitude of workshops and courses on offer to people with varying degrees of ability and they are also responsible for the provision of the sumptuous food, which is prepared using ingredients from the garden.
“The people who attend the day centre are responsible for growing and nurturing the vegetables,” says Dorothee.
“We have lettuce, tomatoes, kale, peppers, other green leaves, fruit and more all growing in our polytunnels at the end of the garden. We also have a great herb garden where we grow different herbs as they are in season. We try to take as much as we can from our own garden and buy as little as possible in.”
Sheltered accommodation
The people who live in the Thomastown Camphill community do not live in a typical village community, but in sheltered accommodation within the local community. Each house has a co-worker like Dorothee living there to support the residents with their daily activities.
They come to the Watergarden from Monday to Friday for work and activities such as art and crafts, woodwork, gardening and hospitality. Their works of art are proudly presented to me by some of the participants of the art workshop, hosted by Claire Turley, as I wander around the facility.
Today, some are making papier mâché-framed pictures and each person has created something very specific to their own interests, including pictures of horses, hurling and a local church. Next, I move to the DIY workshop, where PJ, David and Catriona are busy repainting old bar stools in bright green, red and blue. But these are not their proudest offering and I am taken up to the garden to see two stunning benches, both handcrafted on site. There are also several old-style tools made by the workers themselves and which still operate today, although they can be hard work, admits PJ.
We stroll through the garden itself, along the banks of the tributary to the River Nore, which flows lightly through the garden. There are beautiful pieces of woodcraft and art on display everywhere you turn. The garden is open to the public and anyone is invited to come and sit in the tranquil setting or picnic at one of the benches. And, of course, they do.
The services for mental healthcare in Ireland are very limited so it is important for us to be active in the community
Dorothee assures me it is well supported by the local community – where else would you get a “just-picked” lettuce and tomato in your sandwich for lunch?
The cafe is self-sufficient insofar as it sustains itself whilst being not-for-profit. The Camphill Community also receives funding from the Department of the Environment and the latest batch of funding will go towards 10 purpose-built units for the residents who are currently house-sharing within the community.
“We would like for everyone to have their own unit as such, but with communal rooms within the house where everyone can be together. People’s needs differ and therefore for some this is a very exciting development and they are ready for the move,” says Dorothee.
“For others that need more support in their home life, they will continue to live in that style of sheltered living among their neighbours and friends who look out for them.”
For Gillian, this is long-awaited and she is very excited about moving forward in her new flat.
“I am delighted to be getting my own flat. I am in Camphill for 23 years and I love it here. It is busy as I also help out in a local hairdressers one day a week and I go home to my parents, who are retired farmers in Kilkenny, at the weekends,” she says.
Popular
It is easy to see why the Watergarden is so popular. Besides the beautiful cuisine, the service with a smile is worth anything and this is guaranteed in the Watergarden. There are 26 people making use of the Watergarden facility today along with three co-workers. Dorothee is adamant that not a single decision is made without the team on board.
“We provide personal solutions for each individual as we understand that everyone is different and has varying needs. The services for mental healthcare in Ireland are very limited so it is important for us to be active in the community. We are always looking for local businesses to take on work experience students for a day or a half day every week. Some already are out in the community working in kindergartens, hairdressers and garages but we could do with lots more placements as this type of work helps participants to integrate and engage in a regular work environment and they feel that they are contributing. This is hugely beneficial to their confidence and wellbeing,” says Dorothee.
The Watergarden is open to the public Tuesday to Friday from 10am – 4pm. At weekends, the cafe is leased to Helen Costello, who runs a vegetarian pop-up cafe by day and a restaurant by night. See
Camphill believes that the dignity of work is important for everyone and that what is most important is valuing the contribution everyone can make in their daily life. They recognise this changes over the life of an individual and Camphill fosters an environment where everyone can work and create a prosperous community for each other. Camphill is based on the acceptance of the spiritual uniqueness of each human being, regardless of disability, religious or racial background.
Sharing the work
It is the conviction of those who work in Camphill that beneath any outer physical disability, emotional disturbance or failure of motivation, each individual’s being remains unimpaired and whole.
Inspired by this ideal, Camphill Communities offer those in need of special care a sheltered environment to meet their educational, therapeutic and social needs. Volunteer co-workers and those with special needs share all the work that has to be done - household tasks, gardening, land work, and crafts. Everyone helps and works side-by-side, each learning from the other.
SHARING OPTIONS: