AN UNDERUSED green space at Tameside Hospital will be transformed after an NHS charity was awarded a five-figure funding boost.
The area will now become accessible, inclusive and biodiverse, with the aim of improving access to nature and creating a welcoming environment that supports relaxation, recovery and wellbeing.
It comes after Tameside and Glossop NHS Charity was awarded £24,900 for the project from NHS Charities Together as it looks to create and improve green spaces to benefit the health and wellbeing of staff, patients and communities by giving them better access to nature.
This project will deliver accessibility improvements, including the installation of tarmac pathways connecting benches and key features to ensure safe use for people with mobility issues and year-round access.
Improved facilities will include the addition of a third accessible bench to create more seating for reflection, breaks and social connection.
Delivered by NHS Charities Together, in partnership with environmental charity Hubbub and Starbucks, the programme addresses the fact that while research shows eight in 10 people feel healthier and more energetic after spending time in nature, one in five people in the UK still live in areas without easy access to green spaces.
Emily Whelan, charity manager at Tameside and Glossop NHS Charity, said “We’re so pleased to be awarded this funding, which will enable us to transform an underused area of our hospital grounds into a welcoming green space that supports the wellbeing of our staff, patients and community.
“By improving accessibility, adding seating and enhancing biodiversity through wildlife habitats and wildflower planting, this project will create a peaceful place where people can rest, reflect and reconnect with nature.”
Ellie Orton OBE, chief executive at NHS Charities Together, added: “Access to green spaces and the benefits that this brings to our health and wellbeing should not be something limited to a lucky few, but available to everyone across the UK no matter where they live.
“This latest round of funding will build on our achievements and learnings to date and enable even more NHS charities to create and enhance access to green spaces that support the physical and mental health of NHS staff, patients and local communities.”
Gavin Ellis, director and co-founder of Hubbub, commented: “This fund has potential to make a positive difference not just to people’s wellbeing, but also to the environment.
“As well as the direct environmental impact of more green spaces, studies have shown that spending time in nature makes people more likely to make environmentally friendly lifestyle choices.
“We are delighted to partner with local NHS charities to draw on their expertise in health and wellbeing and it is great to see them partnering with implementation partners who can provide expertise in greening projects to support project delivery.”