TV host Lorraine Kelly opens garden at St George’s Hospital in Tooting
Britain’s most enduring and perkiest TV host, Lorraine Kelly, has opened a hospital garden designed to give patients and staff a peaceful space away from the bustle of its wards.
The garden area outside Atkinson Morley Wing at St George’s Hospital, Tooting, has been transformed thanks to charitable funding.
The project, was filmed for ITV’s Lorraine show and opened by the host herself, following the transformation with new plants, seating areas and walkways.
The work was jointly funded by the hospital trust and St George’s Hospital Charity, as well as accessing funds from NHS Charities Together.
The work was undertaken by Bowles & Wyer’s team of expert landscape architects, designers, builders, horticulturists and gardeners, who worked closely with the hospital’s garden, estates and facilities teams and opened just in time for Christmas.
The project is one of many made possible thanks to grants to hospital charities from NHS Charities Together, whose most famous fundraiser – Captain Tom – raised more than £30 million earlier in 2020 doing laps of his own garden.
Another new well-being hub for staff is also planned. Work on the Atkinson Morley Wing garden started in October 2020, when TV’s Dr Hilary Jones visited and talked to staff about the impact of Covid-19 on the Trust’s services, and the importance of staff health and wellbeing, particularly given the demands of recent months.
Amerjit Chohan, chief executive of St George’s Hospital Charity, said: “We are really delighted to support the Trust with this fantastic project. Making the lives of staff and patients that little bit easier is a big part of what we are trying to do, so we are really excited to be a part of this.”
Pictured top: Lorraine Kelly at the garden outside the Atkinson Morley Wing at St George’s Hospital in Tooting
Everyone at the South London Press thanks you for your continued support.
Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has encouraged everyone in the country who can afford to do so to buy a newspaper, and told the Downing Street press briefing:
“A FREE COUNTRY NEEDS A FREE PRESS, AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”
If you can afford to do so, we would be so grateful if you can make a donation which will allow us to continue to bring stories to you, both in print and online. Or please make cheques payable to “MSI Media Limited” and send by post to South London Press, Unit 112, 160 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2NZ
