The newest part of the national NHS Forest is taking root in Grimsby.
A collection of trees have been planted at our acute adult inpatient unit Harrison House joining thousands of trees planted at over 200 NHS sites across the country.
Coordinated by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare and funded by charitable trusts and private sponsorship, the national initiative aims to improve the health and wellbeing of patients, staff and local communities.
NAViGO’s Jo Keen said: “Nature should and can play a key role in maintaining both mental and physical health and wellbeing.
“Making green spaces available for health purposes supports both service users and staff while locking up carbon, creating shade and enabling more people to access green spaces while at inpatient facilities.”
We know more than most about the positive impact of nature on mental health.
Owners of Grimsby Garden Centre, we use the garden centre complex to offer training and employment opportunities to people from disadvantaged backgrounds and individuals with mental health difficulties, providing over 5500 hours of horticultural therapy a year on average.
All this while investing profits back into the centre’s upkeep and mental health services across North East Lincolnshire.
Through our Grow With Us project, we provide free seasonal gardening packs to all North East Lincolnshire primary schools encouraging people from eight to 80 to get involved in green-fingered activity.
Operating a programme of horticultural therapy across NAViGO sites, Harrison House is already home to an allotment, greenhouse, meadow and some very friendly chickens.
