Hopewood Park Hospital in Sunderland planted 300 trees sponsored by the government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund in 2021. They planted a further 48 in 2022.
Service users, staff and volunteers were all engaged in the planting plans and events. The trees will provide biodiversity habitats across the four sites, and create wildlife corridors to connect existing planted areas. They will also play a role in supporting the wellbeing of staff and service users: screening eyesores such as car parks, providing shade and a space to connect with nature, and contributing to the walking routes that exist on three of the four sites to promote exercise and relaxation.
Sarah Neil, Sustainability Officer, said “At Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust we want to make the most of our green spaces for service users, carers, staff and local communities to enjoy, encouraging biodiversity and connection with nature. As we walk around our hospital sites we can see so much potential for enhancing what is already there and we hope that this tree planting project will be the first of many such initiatives.”
This short video documents the tree planting activity across Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear.