Posted on: 5 October 2022
A total of 484 plants and trees have been planted in a new sensory garden at
the Campbell Centre, CNWL’s inpatient mental health unit in Milton Keynes.
The garden was officially opened on 3 October at a ceremony attended by
Councillor Emily Darlington, Cabinet Member for Adults, Housing and Healthy
Communities, the Milton Keynes Dons Football Club and Lesley Halford, Service
Director of CNWL’s Milton Keynes Mental Health Services.
Over 30 guests attended the opening, looking on while MK Dons Player Ethan
Robson and community coaches Kelly Day, Mark Day and Dejanel Cameron from Milton Keynes Dons SET officially cut the ribbon.
Picture shows: MK Dons Player, Ethan Robson
Simon Steed from Talkback MK, an autism and learning charity who helped co-design the project, as well as Jane Lynds from Talent Unlimited were also in attendance.
Blooming at different times of the year; the trees and plants are all touchable, with a range of smells, textures and edibles such as fruit, providing a source of homegrown produce. Small greenhouses have been fitted, to allow patients to grow seasonal herbs and vegetables.
The installation, which also features 10 new benches and eight flower planters was created following a successful bid for £154,000 in funding last June to make the centre far more sensory friendly. This reflects CNWL’s broader bid to make its services friendlier to those who have sensitive sense perceptions, such as Autism.
Speaking during the event, Cllr Darlington said:
“I’m so pleased we’ve all been able to come together at the Campbell Centre to
create such a space for people who really need it. During Covid, we really learnt how important it is to have access to green spaces and the value of being near nature. Thank you to all the staff, volunteers and others who have contributed. I really hope this garden becomes a space of peace, recovery, and a place of help for patients."
The garden is just one element in the improvements, with funding having also been invested in new equipment, along with upgrades to the sensory room and deescalation room.
Picture shows: LED projector from the sensory room.
The new garden overhauled the previous one, taking two weeks and a team of
contractors to dig and prepare the ground. The garden’s final design reflects a codesigned effort as services users, carers, and organisations such as Talkback MK all provided ideas and feedback.
In December, CNWL will hold the second Autism awareness conference for the health sector in Milton Keynes, designed in partnership with Talkback MK to understand the experiences of service users and how we can work together to improve services.
Simon Steed from Talkback Milton Keynes said:
“Thank you for thinking of autism and for allowing our members to have a voice within this project. To see the reality of our members ideas come to fruition is fantastic.”
Picture shows: Lane Lynds and Simon Steed from Talkback MK
Lesley Halford, Service Director of Milton Keynes Mental Health Services for
CNWL said:
“I am so proud of the work that everyone has put in to help us become more sensory friendly. A good sensory environment is an effective treatment approach that provides support and has benefits for everyone. We have developed both the inside and outside space and have a range of sensory equipment that will aid people’s recovery and provide a wonderful safe space for relaxation and reflection.”
Alongside the new garden and equipment, CNWL staff have had the chance to
‘stand in the shoes’ of someone who experiences sensory difficulties when an
Autism reality bus visited the centre.
The MK Dons Sport and Education Trust (SET) have also been working in
conjunction with CNWL to deliver a project for 18 to 25-year olds, using football as a means of improving mental health.
MK Dons SET Community Engagement Coordinator, Kelly Day, said:
“Within the MK Dons SET, part of what we deliver in the community is inclusive pandisability football sessions. Since Covid has shown an increased need for support for mental health, we launched our Football over Mind programme, allowing those experiencing mental health to be able to come along to play football in a safe, nonjudgmental environment, with coaches who are mental health first aid trained. This is a success and we had 14 participants self-refer and 80 per cent attend on a regular basis."
