Garden Room previewed to public and staff at Barnet Hospital Open

Last updated 6-Jul-10 14:56

The Garden Room, a King's Fund Enhancing the Healing Environment project, which is due to open in September was previewed to the public at Barnet Hospital Open Day on Saturday 3 July.

The finishing touches - in terms of garden plants and furniture - have yet to be applied, but visitors were able to see the beautiful airy room that has been built in one of the hospitals courtyards, take a look at photographs of the plants that will be included and walk around courtyard garden. The Garden Room is designed as a peaceful and comfortable retreat for families and friends of patients at the end of life, so they can take a break from being at the patient's bedside.

Donations to the build the Garden Room were gratefully received from many charitable trusts, local corporations and individual donors, including the Late Fred Wolffing Estate, The Kings Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, the All Aboard Charity, Marks & Spencer of Southgate, Nandos of Enfield, Barnet League of Friends and two local Waitrose stores (in Temple Fortune and Whetstone). Staff played their part in raising money too; proceeds from the 2009 5k Fun Run/Walk were donated to the project, and a group of young doctors were sponsored to climb Britain's three tallest mountains within a 24 hour period.

The preview was the centrepiece of the Open Day, but there were many other attractions for visitors, including a cut-price car wash (provided by Hospital Radio Barnet), advice on how to resuscitate someone, free fruit and blood pressure checks, and educational stalls displaying the work carried out in many of the Trust's specialties (sexual health, infection control, breast cancer screening, stroke services and many more). External organisations such as Barnet PCT Smoking Cessation, Hertsmere Leisure Centres, Unison trade union and Costco supermarket were also displaying their services. 

The Chase Farm Hospital Open Day, which takes place from 1-4pm on Saturday 10 July, will feature many of the same stalls and also provide a chance to see the da Vinci Robot on display.  Parking will be free all day.

Kay Laurie, Deputy Director of Patient Experience, thanked visitors for their enthusiasm towards the Garden Room project with which she has been heavily involved. "The Garden Room would not have been possible without the dedicated efforts of many members of staff, the generosity of the local community, and the commitment of volunteers who have taken time to plan and design the building.  Our volunteer artist, June Faulkner, is making beautiful silk hangings for the room and we have a fantastic group of volunteer gardeners who are busy growing plants for the courtyard garden.  We are really excited that we will be able to open The Garden Room for use in two months time."  We are looking for volunteer hosts/hostesses who will welcome people to The Garden Room and help maintain the very high standard of presentation of the room and the garden.  If you would like to get involved or to find out more, please contact our voluntary services department on 020 8216 4449.