Helping break ground on a healing garden for Harefield Hospital

Clancy has helped to build a new healing garden at Harefield Hospital – creating a space to help patient recovery alongside an appreciation of the natural world.

The new garden has transformed a patch of land to allow those in the hospital to take a break from time in the clinical areas. For patients, this means an area where they can relax while still receiving treatment and care, as well as meeting visitors. It will also provide space for keyworker staff to step away from the busy work environment at the specialist heart and lung hospital.

The nature of the specialist treatment given at Harefield means that patients will often spend extended periods of time in the hospital, but until now there has been no easily accessible green outside spaces for patients and visitors to spend time in.

Clancy has donated construction plant for use in helping get the project off the ground – providing two excavators and a tipper truck to help the garden break ground on the first phase of the project. Clancy also donated a welfare cabin and security fencing for the duration of the project. The works were carried out in conjunction with Clancy’s supply chain partners, M O’Brien Plant, H.E Services, and Speedy Asset Services.

The project is being funded through donations, with over £180,000 raised by the Harefield Healing Garden to date, and the garden is now open. The garden is wheelchair accessible with private as well as social spaces, and will be stocked with a range of trees and flowers,

The healing garden has been the vision of Rosie Pope, whose son Will had a heart transplant in 2013. Rosie began raising money for the project when she saw how important spending time outside of the hospital walls was for her son’s wellbeing and recovery. Rosie was joined in this mission by Catherine Perry whose father was treated at Harefield.

Rosie said:

“We have been completely bowled over by Clancy’s generous support. It made all the difference allowing us to green light the garden after many years of planning and fundraising. It’s great to see patients taking their first tentative steps in the garden, and staff taking a breath of fresh air especially during this of all years. Thank you to all at Clancy!”

David Janes at Clancy said:

“Rosie and Catherine approached us as a local construction business asking if we could support the project. The hospital is just up the road from our head office, so we jumped at the chance to help. We were delighted to donate plant and other resources to get this project off the ground. It is clear that this garden will make a world of difference for everyone at Harefield Hospital and we are very proud that our equipment could be used for such a worthy cause.”