Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Richard Eltringham - OT Assistant Practitioner Horticulture, Arnold Lodge
What I changed:
Patients of Rutland Ward have worked on their Californian designed garden. The garden was a joint project with Rutland patients, staff and students from The Insight Garden Program (IGP) of California State Prison (CSP), Lancaster CSP Lancaster who I met during my Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2017. We have created an exciting, beautiful, organic garden that will thrive forever. The area has been cleared to make way for large scale sensory planting, musical installations, more than 200 new plants and trees and new paths for patient, staff and visitors to explore.
How it benefited service users and / or staff:
The sensory garden has helped to enhance physical activity and wellbeing, whilst enabling the patients to develop their knowledge and skills. This project has helped to promote team working and has developed a sense of community on Rutland Ward. The patients are enthusiastic and engaging well into he project and when completed will continue to provide the opportunity for others to experience and relax in.
Why I am proud of it:
The patients have all worked extremely hard late into the evening, their green fingered efforts haven't gone unnoticed. Rutland Ward patient said "it occupied my time and when it's finished we'll be able to relax and enjoy the view".