As an Occupational Therapist, I am proud to partner with Horatio's Garden
Through my own clinical work with the NHS, I saw how hugely beneficial having access to outside space is for individuals of all ages in acute hospital settings. Having a garden attached to a unit lowers stress levels for staff and offers a place to foster working relationships between staff and patients. Horatio's Garden has managed to create magical gardens that most NHS staff would love to have access to; please follow their story below:
"Horatio’s Garden is a charity that creates and cares for beautiful gardens to support the mental health, wellbeing and rehabilitation of everyone affected by a spinal injury. They work with leading garden designers and renowned architects to bring high-specification gardens to the specialist NHS spinal injury centres. The gardens bring huge benefit to patients who face long stays in hospital and provide comfort to their visiting families and friends.
Each garden is maintained by a Head Gardener and a Garden Therapist, who also run a wide range of activities including garden therapy, art sessions and music performances, alongside a team of wonderful volunteers and NHS spinal centre staff. These activities improve long term rehabilitation and provide something enjoyable for patients to take part in, boosting mood and improving wellbeing.
In 2020, 90% of patients believed that spending time in Horatio’s Garden had improved their wellbeing and 87% of patients believed it had improved their mental health.
They have five gardens covering large geographical areas: South West (Salisbury), Scotland (Glasgow), National spinal centre (Stoke Mandeville), Midlands (Oswestry) and London & South East (Stanmore). They are now fundraising for their sixth project in Wales (Cardiff), with an ultimate aim to create a thriving Horatio’s Garden in all eleven of the UK's NHS spinal injury centres."
If you would like to support this fabulous charity, please visit the Horatio's Garden website. POP Gardens are donating 10% of their sales proceeds for POPBoxes sold via their website shop partners page.
Lynne Evans, POP Gardens