News

Peel Health Campus maternity garden – a community effort

Nov 01, 2019

Residents at the Belswan Lifestyle Village in Greenfields have pitched in to help Peel Health Campus (PHC) volunteers build a family garden outside the hospital’s maternity ward.

‘Friends of the Hospital’ President, Denise (Dee) Rouse, said daisies, lilies and pot plants had been donated by residents so the volunteers could create an entertainment area for young families to enjoy.

“We were asked to build a fairy garden, mainly for children who had a newborn brother or sister on the ward, but obviously for other visitors too,” Dee said.

It took Dee and fellow volunteers Sue Jolly and Kate Lamers-Rolfe several days to complete the garden.

“The first day we spent clearing out the area and removing all the shrubs and mapping out where we wanted to put things,” Dee said.

“We spent $1,500 raised by our volunteer group at the kiosk to buy little fairies, gnomes, play equipment, outdoor furniture and plants.”

PHC Maternity Clinical Nurse Manager, Leanne Rendell, said the garden was popular among all age groups.

“It is a lovely space for people to sit and have some quiet time,” she said.

“Families sometimes sit out there and have meals and when they are not using it staff enjoy it.”

Dee said the feedback about the garden had been terrific and she was pleased it was being used regularly by maternity patients and their families.

“It makes it all worth it,” Dee said.

Dee said the Belswan residents were supportive of “their hospital” and many of them wanted to help because they had grandchildren who were born there.

Peel Health Campus delivers about 1,000 local babies every year.