As a lasting tribute to organ donors and those who lost their lives in the Covid-19 pandemic, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity has been able to create a Memorial Garden at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital, thanks to a generous grant from NHS Charities Together, as well as other donations from public, staff and local businesses.
The project was designed to remember not only those who were sadly lost during the pandemic, but also those who have given the precious gift of life, highlighting the importance of organ and tissue donation across the region.
The tranquil space will also serve as an extra place on site for quiet contemplation and reflection to be used for the benefit of all staff, patients, and visitors. The garden will be dementia-friendly - featuring a circular path - and will include a memorial sculpture, seating, and a selection of trees, wildflowers, and plants with interest and sensory features.
The peaceful outdoor space will be a place to come together to reflect, remember, relax and recharge, and a special place of remembrance. This is particularly significant given that due to COVID restrictions put in place for attendance at funerals, many people did not get to say goodbye properly to loved ones.
The memorial garden was funded by a grant from NHS Charities Together who helped fund two memorial gardens at both Chorley and South Ribble Hospital and Royal Preston Hospital at a total cost of £100,000, while the Harold and Alice Bridges Charity donated £2,000 towards the project, and the Warburtons Foundation £400.
Special thank you also to Service Care Solutions and Home Instead, who have sponsored benches for the garden, as well as Hardscape, who donated the stone obelisk. Darwin Group kindly donated a gift voucher for £450 of plants, while Brian Jolly from Frank Whittle Partnership gave his time free of charge.
Dan Hill, Head of Hospital Charities said: “I’m delighted to see the finished garden and want to express a huge thank you to NHS Charities Together and everyone who has contributed in making this memorial garden possible. Our aim was to create a special space to honour those we have lost and show our gratitude and respect to those who have given the gift of life to others, and I’m extremely confident that the Memorial Garden will do just that.”
Gary Wilkes, Building Manager at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital added: “I’m pleased that the Trust and some of its closest partners have created a place of Zen to commemorate the passing of loved ones and to reflect on one of the most demanding periods of time in the history of the NHS. I know it will become a very popular place for staff, and visitors to reconnect with themselves or simply a place to sit and enjoy the fauna and flora in a quiet spot of the grounds.
“I must also say a big thank you to the Estates gardening team for their hard work in supporting the Memorial Garden for the benefit of us all.”
Ellie Orton OBE, Chief Executive at NHS Charities Together, said: “In the wake of Covid-19, NHS staff are under more pressure than ever before - and having spaces where they can rest and reflect in between busy shifts can make a huge difference to their overall health and wellbeing. We are so pleased we could help create this memorial garden at Lancashire Teaching Hospital, together with the hospital charity and the generous support of the public. It really will make a big difference not just to staff but to the patients they support - and of course is a beautiful way to honour lives lost during the pandemic.”
