A Local Places for Nature project at Cefn Coed Hospital, Swansea.
Transforming an unused grass area into a wildlife-friendly garden to support the wellbeing of mental health patients, staff, and families.
Key details
- Location: Cefn Coed Hospital, Cockett, Swansea
- Project Type: Wildlife Garden
- Target Group: Three mental health wards (adult, older adult, rehabilitation/recovery), 120 patients, 500+ staff
- Deprivation Index:
- Physical: 50% least deprived
- Overall: 50% least deprived
- Community Involvement:
- 35+ volunteers (staff, patients, Admiral Insurance teams, SBUHB Estates)
- Patients involved in building and ongoing upkeep
- 100+ people expected to use the garden
- Outputs:
- Transformed close-cut grass into a biodiverse garden
- Hedging provides habitat and screens unsightly areas
- Model for wider grounds maintenance
- Benefits:
- Social: Safe space for patients, families, and staff to interact and engage with nature
- Health: Documented mental health benefits for patients, especially those involved in gardening
- Unexpected benefits: Nature-friendly maintenance regime as a pilot for the wider estate
Quotes
“If you’d asked me before that day if I could build a large, raised bed from scratch I would have thought it impossible, but we were given clear instructions and the staff had total faith in our abilities. We filled the bed with many, many wheelbarrow loads of compost.”
Rebecca, Admiral Team Leader and Volunteer
“I suffer from anxiety and the gardening sessions are calming and boost my mood. I leave feeling more relaxed.”
Patient, Cefn Coed Hospital
“The whole process … was immensely good for the soul. Real Teamwork … gives you the feeling that these types of project are life enhancing for everyone involved.”
Paul Coode, Business Support Manager
Future plans
- Expand benefits to other wards
- Use as a pilot for wider SBHUB Estate
- Lessons learned to inform ongoing estate maintenance and biodiversity improvements
