In what is becoming a regular, annual event, Nick Mason opened his gardens to the public again earlier this month (on June 10th and 11th), to help raise money for the Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust and Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s Airbase Appeal.

As with previous years, a sizeable number of people took the opportunity to have a stroll around Nick's grounds, after paying the modest entrance fee, which went straight to the charities. BD regular Ian McKenzie was amongst those present, and kindly sent over some pictures of the event. The house itself - Middlewick House in Corsham, Wiltshire - was out of bounds, but the public could walk around almost everywhere else.

During the events, many of Nick's cars, and his helicopter, are put on display. In total, there are six different garden areas plus a couple of paddocks with horses, two riding arenas, a football pitch, a tennis court and a woodland area. One of Bath's leading fine art sculptors, Alan Dunn, showcased some of his pieces and there will be a variety of stalls selling unique gifts, foods, and plants. Attendees got to see his pigs too!

Before the event, Nick said: "[My wife] Annette and I are really looking forward to opening our garden again – it's a really great way of supporting two of our favourite and enormously worthy local charities. Our visitors seem to enjoy the experience and it gives us a really good excuse to tidy the garden and polish the odd car!"

Jennie Shaw, director of The Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust, added: "This will be the fourth year Mr and Mrs Mason have supported local charities, they have raised over £60,000. It's a super weekend which thousands of people have attended."

Cheryl Johnson, head of Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s Airbase Appeal, said: "We are so grateful to Nick and Annette Mason. Our Airbase Appeal is raising the remaining £1.25 million needed to complete the building and equipping of our new airbase at Semington, near Melksham. Funds raised at the open gardens event will enable us to save lives for many more years to come, operating from our custom-built new airbase."

Our thanks to Ian and his daughter Neve for the pictures. Their pictures can be seen on the Brain Damage Facebook page, and the collage above gives a flavour of the pictures there.