By Lucy Ashton
A project which has transformed a dilapidated and underused pond in the grounds of the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) into a haven of peace and nature, was officially opened at a special ceremony.
The ceremony also celebrated a number of other arts and environmental projects recently completed at the Paisley hospital, including a new Forget-Me-Not mural on the hospital Chaplaincy, the HALO gardens and the Renfrewshire Tapestry which is currently on display in the hospital dining hall. The ceremony was attended by politicians, local dignitaries, local and national health officials, staff, and people involved in the pond and other projects.
During the event, visitors attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the pond, before receiving a tour of the hospital to see for themselves the other projects, and to hear the story of their creation and how they have improved the environment for patients, visitors, staff and the public alike.
The project to transform the pond got under way in late summer 2021, after a slight delay to allow the cygnets of a family of swans to fledge without disruption. Designs were created by Rolf Roscher and Felicity Steers of ERZ Landscape Architects who played a pivotal role in making the vision become a reality. The work continued throughout 2022 and it is now open and a much-loved greenspace.
A project which has transformed a dilapidated and underused pond in the grounds of the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) into a haven of peace and nature, was officially opened at a special ceremony.
The ceremony also celebrated a number of other arts and environmental projects recently completed at the Paisley hospital, including a new Forget-Me-Not mural on the hospital Chaplaincy, the HALO gardens and the Renfrewshire Tapestry which is currently on display in the hospital dining hall. The ceremony was attended by politicians, local dignitaries, local and national health officials, staff, and people involved in the pond and other projects.
During the event, visitors attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the pond, before receiving a tour of the hospital to see for themselves the other projects, and to hear the story of their creation and how they have improved the environment for patients, visitors, staff and the public alike.
The project to transform the pond got under way in late summer 2021, after a slight delay to allow the cygnets of a family of swans to fledge without disruption. Designs were created by Rolf Roscher and Felicity Steers of ERZ Landscape Architects who played a pivotal role in making the vision become a reality. The work continued throughout 2022 and it is now open and a much-loved greenspace.
Opening the pond, Professor Tom Steele, Director of Facilities and Estates at NHSGGC, said: “This project is a fantastic example of collaboration between professionals, the third sector, the local community, and all users of the hospital site. It demonstrates how we can work together to achieve something that meaningfully contributes to both the sustainability agenda and the health and wellbeing agenda.
“It also presents a key part of transforming the outdoor estate at the RAH campus. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those involved.”
The new mural was only completed earlier this month, and is the latest addition to the hospital. The work of artists Ali Smith and Robert McNamara, it highlights the healing power of nature and complements the planting within the HALO gardens which surround the Chaplaincy building.
The HALO gardens are based on a concept conceived by Felicity Steers and Elle Steele during lockdown to provide an outdoor sanctuary for friends and families to meet safely when social distancing measures were in place. There are four at the hospital, and they are a popular place particularly for staff to use on their breaks.
Welcoming the creation of the gardens and the mural, Yvonne Dolan, Lead Nurse, and Professor Kevin Rooney, at the RAH said: “The Covid Pandemic brought many challenges to staff, patients and families. Outdoor space became increasingly important to allow patients and families to visit briefly but safely and to staff for respite from the challenging clinical environment, particularly the PPE being worn in Intensive Care Units. The HALO gardens have given us accessible intimate spaces for our use visible from the Intensive Care Unit. The Mural was commissioned to enhance the HALOs further and provide a welcome distraction to all patients overlooking this building.”
The tapestry is a community project to celebrate the historical county of Renfrewshire in threads and fabric, telling the story of its past, present and future. It comprises several printed boards and two suspended stitched panels
Accompanying the panels are embroidered teardrops, circles and crosses made by people from all over the world telling their own personal stories in the form of embroidery. So far, more than 450 of these have been created, telling very personal tales of where people worked, their families, what they did outside work, and places they went to in Renfrewshire.
Martin Johnston, Head of Sustainability at NHSGGC, said: “High-quality greenspace is increasingly being recognised for its importance, and the new RAH pond is an ideal example of how improvements to the outdoor environment can bring real benefits to the health and wellbeing of our patients, visitors and staff.
“I would like to thank all those who have been involved in this and other important projects at the RAH, and across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.”
Jackie Sands, Senior Arts and Health Lead at NHSGGC, said: “It has long been recognised that health care goes far beyond the therapies that patients receive, and I am pleased that so much work is now being put into the physical environment in which that care is provided.
“The recent developments across the RAH site, and elsewhere in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, made in collaboration with commissioned artists, designers and partnerships, are already attracting positive feedback, and I hope they will be of huge benefit to everybody who receives care, and who works, in all our hospitals.”