We were thrilled to be invited to help Fairfield Hospital in Bury with their ‘Rewilding Fairfield’ project. The hospital received a grant of £40,000 from the Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund to help revitalise outdoor spaces around the hospital buildings.
In addition to planting over 13,000 bulbs and 190 trees to create 3 different garden spaces, Fairfield enlisted our help to create some bespoke outdoor furniture for their gardens too. Our talented designer, Luca, came up with the plans for Manchester bee-themed benches and planters to reflect the nature aspect of the rewilding project. We also provided bug hotels and bird boxes to complement the scheme.
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- The site before work began
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- Fairfield Hospital designs drawn up by Luca
Getting out in nature is well known as being a valuable aid to recovery and having this new accessible outdoor space for patients and staff to use can only be a good thing. We have been working with teams from the RHS (The Royal Horticultural Society), North Care Charity, and Fairfield Hospital since July last year.
The spaces around the hospital were unused, overgrown and in need of some serious love. That’s where Touch Wood and the RHS stepped in. Together we reviewed the spaces and started the process of exploring what was possible. Understanding the needs of the hospital and the local nursery was critical to the design. The challenge was to create space for children, patients, staff and visitors to engage with nature and take time out to discover, enjoy and relax.
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- Touch Wood outdoor furniture in situ before planting
Benefits for all
The formerly disused area of land has been transformed. Thanks to the collaboration between all the different organisations and the support of the hospital’s staff, it is unrecognisable from how it once was. There are easy access pathways through the trees leading to the cleared area. The Touch Wood bee themed benches and planters form a perfect place to sit and enjoy the surroundings. There is also an area for children to play in, including a mud kitchen and a sensory section filled with interesting textures for them to explore.
In addition to giving a safe, relaxing and beautiful place for human visitors, there are also new habitats for nature including bug hotels, bird boxes and lovely planted areas, which are already attracting many visitors. Both patients at the hospital and the nature around it will benefit from this great outdoor space for many years to come.
If you would like to discuss how Touch Wood could help you make your rewilding dreams a reality with bespoke outdoor furniture made with sustainable reclaimed wood, please get in touch.
You can call 0161 223 8200 or email info@touchwood.org.uk