This year the enchanting little Victoria Garden in Brightwells Road next to Sainsbury’s in South Street is celebrating 20 years since it was officially opened as a garden by the Duchess of Gloucester in 1998.

The anniversary event, to take place this autumn, will be a special occasion and the members of the Farnham Swimming Baths Trust, who are responsible for the garden, are carefully sprucing everything up so that it will all look its best.

Victoria Garden was created in 1997/8 on the site of Farnham’s first open air swimming bath, built in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee and opened in 1898 by her daughter-in-law the Duchess of Albany.

It remained in use until 1982 when the Farnham Leisure Centre opened, and the site remained derelict until the 1990s when the Farnham Swimming Baths Trust took the decision to turn it into a sheltered secret garden.

The trust is a voluntary group composed of representatives of several local organisations, and the transformation was completed with the help of numerous grants, donations and voluntary work.

Today it is a community garden, a peaceful place for rest and quiet enjoyment of the flowers, shrubs and trees which keep it colourful throughout the year, run by an enthusiastic group of Friends who maintain it and organise fundraising events to cover their costs. It wins awards every year in the Britain in Bloom competitions.

When the garden was set up 20 years ago, 11 oak benches were donated by local people, each with a small plaque in memory of family members and friends. Unfortunately some of these benches have now suffered from damp and they need to be replaced for safety reasons.

The trustees have identified suitable new benches, and would like to replace all the old ones, offering those which are still in good condition for sale to anyone who would like them, to help offset the cost.

Penny Marriott, chair of the Swimming Baths Trust, said: “We are so proud of our little town centre garden, and we want it to look extra beautiful for its 20th anniversary.

“We have chosen new benches made of a wood called Iroko which is resistant to rot and does not need varnishing. It can be naturally left outside and will weather gracefully to a lovely silver grey.

“If anyone would like to contribute to the cost by purchasing an old bench, or perhaps buying a new one and dedicating it to someone, please email me on [email protected] or Sarah Coker, chair of the Friends, on [email protected].”