Touch Wood EMERGE’s Oasis Garden

The team at Touch Wood Emerge in Manchester have been working with Willmott Dixon to build an amazing space for the Dementia patients and staff at Rochdale infirmary, all made from wood rescued from around Greater Manchester. The ‘Oasis Garden’ has space for patients and their families, with a designated area for staff wellbeing.

The garden was funded by NorthCare, the hospital’s official charity and NHS Charities Together and project managed by Willmott Dixon, with support and gifts from other organisations. It will provide a break from the hospital environment for patients, and a safe space for them to spend time with loved ones and friends.

Up to 500 patients annually will use the garden, which has been specially designed with plants to support sensory experiences. It also features custom flowerbeds and planters at the right size and height to be used by patients in wheelchairs or with limited mobility, and furniture painted in dementia-friendly colours to make it easier for patients to see and use thanks to a donation from Crown Paints.

“We are absolutely delighted to finally be able to open the Oasis Garden, a project 1.5 years in the making!”

said Karen Casper, Corporate Fundraising Officer for NorthCare Charity.

“Research shows people with dementia are less likely to become agitated and distressed if they can have regular access to fresh air and exercise, and a quiet space away from others, which is why it’s so important for the Unit to have access to this space. We also wanted to create an environment for patients to spend time with their loved ones outside of the ward, for a sense of normality and to make memories.”