Trust’s charitable funds help rejuvenate garden

People who use the garden at the Chantry unit at Fieldhead in Wakefield are the latest to benefit from the Trust’s charitable funds initiative.

Each year the Trust’s charitable funds support services across the Trust with funding for projects that aim to improve the wellbeing and welfare of staff and service users.

To enable physiotherapists from the Trust’s older people’s service in Wakefield to refurbish the existing garden at the Chantry unit so that they could run gardening groups, they put in a bid to the charitable funds committee.

The money that they were granted was used to buy new seeds and plants, as well as raising the existing flower beds to enable wheelchair users to reach them. Staff and service users worked together to replant the garden and repaint fences with bright colours.

The new garden space will be used by the physiotherapy team to run gardening groups as well as tai chi classes and relaxation sessions. With the new equipment, people can now garden standing up, sitting on a chair or whilst in a wheelchair – making the garden accessible for everyone.

Laura Wharmby, a specialist physiotherapist in the older people’s service who helped organise the refurbishment, said: “We are really pleased with how the garden has turned out and it’s already having an impact for the people we work with. The garden allows them to take part in physical activity which can really help their wellbeing.

“By spending time away from the ward in a supported environment we see people really begin to relax and interact with one another. It really is a fantastic resource to have.

“I want to say a special thank you to the Trust’s charitable funds committee and everyone who continues to donate to the scheme as without them none of this would have been possible.”