Chair’s Initiative Fund supports Langdon’s green credentials
A new battery-powered lawn mower is helping Langdon Hospital staff care for its gardens while supporting more environmentally friendly ways of working.
Funded by our Chair’s Initiative Fund, the rechargeable mower will be used to maintain garden spaces across the site in Dawlish, helping to keep them looking lovely.
Horticulture Technician Elaine Walker looks after the garden at Stour and at the Dewnans Centre, which includes the Chelsea garden. She said: “When I first started work at Stour, there was lots of bramble clearing to be done to uncover the old flower beds. Today, it’s an oasis of green, with various fruit trees, flower beds, a large greenhouse, strawberry and rhubarb patches, a wildlife area and a small wildlife pond. A former patient created a beautiful mural for the garden.
“Green-fingered patients are encouraged to come and join us when they have leave in the grounds, although the number of people who are interested can vary. It’s a wonderful opportunity to benefit from some green therapy as well as learning about plants and horticultural techniques.
“We are lucky to have very enthusiastic Occupational Therapists at Langdon who help in the gardens. They make sure the fruit and vegetables we grow don’t go to waste by encouraging patients to cook with them, which supports our healthy eating initiative.
“I like to think the garden is a social place too, so we have plenty of benches for people to sit together and share the produce we grow. The garden at Stour also hosts therapy sessions and family visits, and offers a space for quiet reflection.
“Across the Langdon site, we have some brilliant projects which encourage patients and staff to connect with nature and benefit from its healing properties. These include the hedgerow and orchard projects, the Back to Nature bird box trail and wildlife cameras.
“Thanks to the Chair’s Initiative Fund, we have been able to buy a more environmentally friendly lawn mower with a rechargeable battery. It’s lightweight, easy to use and, most importantly, able to cope with some of the rough terrain we have in places.”