A new garden designed to benefit both patients and staff has been unveiled at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC) in Northwood.
The Fern Garden at the cancer centre was opened on November 23 with a special ceremony to thank those who had contributed to its opening.
Complete with a shed which has the potential to offer a space for treatment, the garden offers a sense of escape and a chance to appreciate the outdoors for patients and staff.
Karen MacKelvie, Nature Recovery Ranger for MVCC, said: “I want to really push to get people to use the garden, feel like it is a space they can use
“Staff are already starting to visualise things in the garden. It has really changed to be quite an atmospheric space.”
Karen continued to say how proud she is of everyone involved in the project and looks forwarded to seeing the differences it will make for patients.
She said: “This is such a fantastic project and I’m proud to have helped make it happen.
“We’ve managed to create a beautiful and calm space where patients, their families and staff can benefit from being outside in the fresh air. Being able to spend some time outside in nature will make such a difference to our patients.”
Paul Shanahan, from Greystoke builders, helped to install brick walls and glass balustrade, and paved ramps to allow staff and patients a smooth transition from the chemo centre to the garden.
He donated £3,000 worth of work to the garden and worked with local supplies such as Selco, Jewson and Grant & Stone to provide the materials for the garden.
Their work was completed with a commemorative plaque on one of the brick walls.
Karen added a thank you to: MVCC Charitable Fund and kind generous donors, Centre of Sustainable Healthcare and the Green Recovery Challenge Fund, Coop Community Fund, MVCC Comfort Fund, Patients, volunteers and staff for supporting the development, MVCC Garden Volunteers, Heathrow Community Fund (volunteers), Aileen Shackell – Landscape designer, Greystoke Builders, Paul Shanahan, Andy Trotman – Timberwright, James Matthews, Oliver James Landscapes and our volunteers, Blakedown Contractors and Mick Peach.
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