Charity funded Memory Lane Dementia Garden opens to enhance patient wellbeing
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust has welcomed guests to the opening of its first dedicated garden to enhance dementia care for patients at Croydon University Hospital.
The Memory Lane Dementia Garden provides a safe, stimulating, and calming environment that encourages physical activity, evokes positive memories, and reduces anxiety for patients during their hospital stay.
The project was fully funded by Croydon Health Charity and has transformed a disused courtyard space into a therapeutic outdoor sanctuary. The wheelchair accessible garden is located within the Acute Care of the Elderly Unit and includes seating, tables, planters filled with vibrant flowers, herbs and plants and distinct areas for arts and crafts, reflection and sensory enjoyment.
The opening event welcomed over 30 guests, including representatives from Croydon Dementia Action Alliance and Croydon Council, to hear talks from clinicians and people with lived experience of dementia before enjoying a tour of the garden.
Sharlung Bovell, Lead Dementia Nurse at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, commented:
"We are thrilled to open this beautiful space, which enhances holistic care for patients with dementia. Hospital environments can often feel disorienting and stressful for patients with cognitive impairments. This garden offers a peaceful sanctuary where our patients can reconnect with nature, engage their senses, and experience a sense of normalcy and independence."
The £150,000 project was funded by generous donations from organisations including CA Redfern Trust; Croydon Crematorium; Hospital Saturday Fund, Croydon 60plus Benevolent Fund, Rotary Club of Croydon, NEXT, Surrey Freemasons and Circle Health Care. Individuals also raised funds by taking part in the Charity’s very inaugural Move For Good 10km walk, running the London Marathon, and a range of other fundraising endeavours.
Matthew Kershaw, Chief Executive at the Trust added:
“This garden is the result of a fantastic collaboration between our very own Croydon Health Charity and so many dedicated supporters, from our clinicians working here in the Trust to LE Partitions who transformed the space, to our Volunteer Gardener Dave who placed the finishing touches to make the garden full of colour and texture through the specialist plants and flowers and many more. The benefits for our older patients will be enormous, enhancing their experience and expanding the holistic support we bring to them during their time here."
For more information about Croydon Health Charity please contact laura.kennedy8@nhs.net
Choose to donate to our general fund or a named service