Fundraiser to build a therapeutic garden at West Suffolk mental health hospital underway
Patients and staff at Wedgwood House, mental health hospital have ambitious plans to create a therapeutic garden for the benefit of patients, staff, and the wider community.
A small project team made up of NHS staff, outside volunteers and project partner Greener Growth (a Community Interest Company) have been filling their spare time collaborating and pulling ideas together and are now working to raise £90,000 to turn a piece of wasteland into a natural recovery haven.
Lead Nurse, at Wedgewood House, Tracey Holland, overseeing the project team said: “This is a bold and exciting plan not only to create an amazing space to help speed up the recovery of patients, but to begin an ongoing program of outdoor activities for the wider community for years to come”.
Landscape designer Mia Witham was chosen to create the garden design. Mia specialises in designing the right kind of outdoor therapeutic spaces to improve mental health. Her plan acknowledges the need for both interactive areas and quiet safe spaces for peaceful reflection. Patients need different environments and activities to help them move forward in their recovery.
As a recent patient said when reviewing the plan, “I really think if I could go and sit on that boulder now, dip my feet in the water I know I would be in a good place and that would be really helpful.”
Fundraising began in earnest last year, with individual crowdfunding campaigns through JustGiving. The father of a previous patient generously raised £700 last year which enabled a site survey to be completed as an important first step. 2022 kicked off with local woman, Mossy Kennedy, crowd-funding a phenomenal £6,000 to pay for design and development work to take the garden to the next stage.
Katherine Falk, assistant psychologist at Wedgwood House is hoping to raise more funds by running a marathon throughout February – with patients running alongside her at every step, which will involve creative use of space for those patients unable leave the hospital. Raising levels of physical activity, funds, and awareness of the project all in one!
If you would like to sponsor Katherine and raise funds for the garden visit her JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/katherine-falk-therapygarden
The team are hoping to raise 50% of the funds locally and are hoping to be able to break ground on the garden site during the Queen’s Jubilee Year.
Stuart Richardson, chief executive at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust who run Wedgwood House commented: “The benefits to our mental health of engaging with nature, working outdoors and having a peaceful spot to breathe and recharge is well-evidenced and cannot be overestimated.
“The garden will also provide a green sanctuary for hardworking staff who don’t have time to go further afield for a break."