Bellway supports Ipswich Hospital Time Garden Appeal to help create garden for end-of-life patients

A major project to create a garden at Ipswich Hospital for patients receiving end-of-life care has been supported by Bellway.

The developer has donated £500 to the Time Garden Appeal, which was launched in October last year to fund the transformation of a large courtyard at the hospital into a peaceful space where patients can enjoy time with family and friends while connecting with nature.

The project will see the planting of fragrant plants and wildflowers in the hope of attracting butterflies, as well as the creation of a glass-fronted wooden cabin spacious enough for a hospital bed and for family members, friends, and even pets to gather and spend time with their loved one.

The cabin will feature soft furnishings, a kettle, board games and a Bluetooth sound system available to allow their chosen music to be played. Specialist vinyl coverings will go on the windows surrounding the courtyard to give the area privacy.

Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity needs to raise £600,000 to make the project a reality and the appeal has now reached the halfway point with £300,000 raised. A similar garden has already been created at Colchester Hospital.

Gavin Lamb, Fundraising Manager Corporate and Events for East Suffolk & North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Over the years we have seen how the Time Garden at Colchester has made such a big impact on the families. We don’t have the facilities at Ipswich to do that and it’s something we have sought for a number of years because we want to provide patients and families with a nice, homely escape for peace and private time.

“We were really pleased to receive the donation from Bellway. They have supported us in the past with our Christmas appeal and events sponsorship and to have a company that feels dedicated to keep supporting us like this is a nice place to be, and long may it continue!”

Bellway is building new homes in and around Ipswich including at the new Fonnereau Village development on Westerfield Road, Ipswich.

Bellway Essex Sales Manager Emma Hawkins visited the hospital to see the courtyard and meet Gavin along with Nichola Whymark, Head of Fundraising and Marketing at Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity, to find out more about the project.

She said: “The Time Garden will make an incredible difference to people receiving end-of-life care at Ipswich Hospital by enabling them to make some very special memories with their loved ones in a peaceful space.

“Charitable giving is a key part of Bellway’s ethos and our contribution towards this extremely worthwhile project reflects our commitment to supporting the local communities where we build.

“We look forward to the day that this courtyard is transformed into a vibrant garden full of nature’s sights, scents, and sounds, providing an uplifting place for such precious moments.”

For more information about the appeal, visit https://www.colchesteripswichcharity.org.uk/appeal/timegardenappeal and to find out more about Bellway developments in the region, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/essex.

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