NHS charity funds tools to create sensory garden at mental health ward

Thanks to donations, Hywel Dda Health Charities, the official charity of Hywel Dda University Health Board, has been able to fund gardening items worth over £1,000 for a sensory garden in St Caradog Ward at Withybush Hospital.

The NHS charity funded gardening tools, garden planters, and a green house.

Jasmine Pouton, Occupational Therapist, said: "We are very grateful that charitable funds have enabled us to purchase these items for St Caradog Ward.

“Green spaces can provide many benefits to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. Our aim is to create a sensory garden that supports our service users, families, carers and staff to have good mental health, well-being and engage in mindfulness practices.

“Engaging in gardening activities can create emotional responses, improve focus and attention, and reduce negative thoughts in a relaxing environment. The activities the garden will provide will allow us to explore skills, concentration, process skills, motor skills and communication and interaction with others.

“The garden will also impact positively on our staff’s wellbeing, which is important to us to be able to have good job satisfaction and relax and wind down during lunch breaks. The garden will be able to be used as a green space where staff can have supervision, staff training and communicate their worries or concerns in a comforting environment.”

Nicola Llewelyn, Head of Hywel Dda Health Charities, the official charity of Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide in the three counties of Hywel Dda and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”