Captain Tom’s Courtyard opens at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital
One of the Shropshire's major hospitals has unveiled a special garden created to honour Captain Sir Tom Moore.
The ceremony at Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford also marked another landmark – the NHS's 73rd birthday.
An unused courtyard at the hospital has been transformed into a haven for rest and reflection for staff at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which runs PRH, as well as patients and visitors.
It has been landscaped and features seating pods, private areas, lighting and flower beds with curved willow fences.
It has been named Captain Tom’s Courtyard to recognise his fundraising efforts for the NHS during the pandemic.
The garden was designed by scientist Emma Mayho, who works in the cardio-respiratory department across both sites, and who is also currently studying for her Royal Horticultural Society exams.
Emma entered and won a competition hosted by the Shropshire Star to redesign the area, which was sponsored by Reconomy, the provider of outsourced waste and resource management services based in Telford.
A garden is also being created outside the ward block at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH), where work got under way this week, and which will be called Captain Tom’s Garden.
It is expected to be completed later this summer.
The official opening of Captain Tom’s Courtyard coincided with the national NHS Big Tea –which is being held to mark the 73rd birthday of the NHS.
Julia Clarke, Director of Corporate Services and Director responsible for SaTH Charity, said: “Each year on July 5, the birthday of the NHS, we celebrate our amazing staff and volunteers – so it is fitting that it should be the date that we officially open a garden to celebrate Captain Tom who did so much to say thank you to the NHS.
“The garden is a wonderful area of beauty for staff to enjoy a break and our patients and their families. It has been made possible thanks to a generous donation from Reconomy and a grant from NHS Charities Together, with support from CLC Construction Ltd and our teams in estates."
For the NHS Big Tea, organised by NHS Charities Together, SaTH Charity is sending refreshments to staff across the organisation.
Julia said: “It is a small way to say thank you to everyone who joined the battle against Covid-19 and supported our patients in what is probably the greatest challenge the NHS has ever faced.”
Anyone can join the national NHS Big Tea and help raise money for NHS staff by visitingsath.nhs.uk/about-us/charity/nhs-big-tea-nhs-73rd-birthday or emailing sath.charity@nhs.net
