A hospital garden area which is being developed thanks to community support is nearly ready to host patients and visitors.

The new garden outside Ward 6 at Grantham and District Hospital has been transformed by local charity GROW, which stands for Gardens Restore Our Wellbeing.

The £20,000 development has been made possible thanks to extensive local fundraising and a generous donation of £9,500 from the League of Friends of Grantham Hospital.

The development follows ULHT’s ‘Adopt a Garden’ initiative, which was launched in 2017 with the aim of developing green spaces at Grantham hospital with the support of voluntary groups and local businesses.

Nikki Applewhite, GROW founder and garden landscaper, said: “We have been fundraising and working on this space for around 18 months and it’s great to see it coming to life, with plants going in just this week.

“As a supporter of Grantham hospital, I really wanted to give something back, and this new garden will really benefit patients and staff.

“Once we’ve finished on this garden, we plan to start work on another garden outside the hospital’s outpatients department. We’d love to be able to renovate all 118 outdoor spaces at the site, and will be seeking further support to make that a reality.”

Ward 6 cares for people who’ve had a stroke or have respiratory issues. The bespoke garden design will be accessible for all patients on the ward, including those who are bed-bound. It will also provide a seating area for staff to use for breaks and a potting area to be used by stroke rehabilitation patients for help with their occupational therapy.

There will be an official opening of the new facility in May 2020.

Ward 6 Sister, Tracy Pemberton, said: “We are delighted that the charity has been set up to develop the garden areas at Grantham hospital.

“The area outside ward 6 was disused and not really useable as a garden. They have transformed it into a really nice space that will be lovely to use during the warmer weather.

“We will be able to bring patients out here to enjoy some fresh air and we hope staff will be able to use the garden during their breaks. It means such a lot that someone has done this for us. It will make a huge difference to the ward.”

To donate to GROW, please visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/hospitalgardens