United Lincolnshire Hospitals charity manager praises new garden at Grantham Hospital

The new hospital garden will provide a sanctuary for hospital patients and staff, writes United Lincolnshire Hospitals charity manager Ben Petts.

I am really pleased to report that patients and staff will soon be able to escape the hustle and bustle of Grantham and District Hospital in a new garden being funded through charitable donations.

Finishing touches are being made to the £60,000 garden which is situated at the rear of the of the new £5.3 million theatres on the site.

The Grantham garden will be the second to be finished at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust.

Work has already been completed on our garden at Lincoln County Hospital and we have plans for a similar green area at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston.

All three gardens are being jointly funded by NHS Charities Together and the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity.

We are proud to be able to provide the extras for patients and staff that are not available through NHS budgets.

We understand how stressful it can be coming to hospital and so to have a space where everyone can go and enjoy some fresh air and a break away from the hustle and bustle is so valuable.

We all hope we will never need to visit hospital, but if we do – we all appreciate a small area of sanctuary where you can have space alone with your thoughts or precious moments with loved ones.

A lot of thought and care has been put into these gardens by members of the working group. These areas really are going to make a massive difference for our patients, colleagues and visitors.

The designs are bespoke to each area and were voted on by hospital staff. Once the garden has been open we will share with the Grantham Journal and look forward to seeing it being enjoyed.

Plans are also in place to look at other opportunities to brighten up the green spaces across Lincolnshire’s hospitals. If anyone would like to support future hospital garden refurbishments, the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity has a Garden Appeal running: https://www.ulhcharity.org.uk/Appeal/garden-appeal