Becca works for the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) as the Sustainability Engagement Coordinator. NHS Forest recently joined them in presenting an Ambulance Service National Tree Week talk, discussing the importance of green spaces around ambulance stations for biodiversity and staff wellbeing. We caught up with Becca to learn all about the trust’s wellbeing gardens.
Wellbeing Gardens to support staff
Recognising the value of these green spaces, the East Anglia Ambulance Service charity has started funding wellbeing gardens. Out of 130 sites, there are now 13 wellbeing gardens. These sites have been designed by various organisations and staff; In Chelmsford, they received support from the Chelsea Flower Show, while in Cambridge and Peterborough, staff helped select the designs for their future gardens.
Although each garden is unique to its site and specific needs, they commonly feature potted plants, trees, and ornamental shrubs, along with hard landscaping elements such as benches, paving, and some form of shelter.
Becca is currently supporting the maintenance of wellbeing gardens and shared plans for even more as a part of the trust’s Sustainability Pilot Site Project. Recently, while visiting the Longwater Ambulance Station wellbeing garden recently, they spoke with a staff member who was using the outdoor summerhouse to complete paperwork—enjoying a peaceful moment in a different work environment.
Becca explains: “The whole purpose of the project is to give staff an outdoor space where they can have one-to-one meetings, find a separate calm space and enjoy the sun during their breaks. There’s always someone on the benches when the sun is out.”
Stress management
Wellbeing gardens are particularly important for ambulance services. Paramedics work long shifts, and being able to spend breaks outdoors can significantly reduce stress levels.
The workplace culture is evolving so that people feel more comfortable holding meetings outside, but more work is needed to promote and normalise this. Becca says “meetings feel different outside—they feel calmer, you can breathe better and there’s a sense of reduced stress.” Green spaces truly enhance the work environment at these sites.
The EEAST intranet proudly explains the importance of wellbeing gardens:
“Wellbeing gardens provide a much-needed calming space where you can decompress, gather your thoughts, and take time for yourself—something crucial for your wellbeing.
‘I have found the garden to be exactly what I needed on multiple occasions, especially over the past month. It has been a particularly challenging time personally, with one thing after another, and the garden has given me a peaceful place to sit when I didn’t feel up to the bustle of the crew room. My garden at home is my place of tranquillity, so having this at work has been a saviour on some days.’”
Watch a video about the latest wellbeing garden in Hellesdon.
There are many more plans in the pipeline for these wellbeing gardens. Alongside installing bird boxes and organising bioblitzes, Becca has also ordered trees with us this season to plant at multiple EEAST sites.
Got a small space to fill? Our tree bundles start at just 10 trees, and applications are open until February 28th!
Banner image: Wellbeing gardens at East of England Ambulance NHS Trust. All rights reserved.