Gloucestershire Royal Hospital's new garden helping staff, patients, and families cope during the pandemic
Watch Victoria Davies' report
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital has opened a garden which it hopes will help staff, patients, and families cope during the pandemic.
The commemorative garden was created in memory of those who have lost their lives to Covid-19.
It is also proving to be a place for those dealing with the coronavirus every day to get away from it all.
This is a garden for people to reflect, relax, and have some respite away from Covid.
Built in the grounds of the hospital, the commemorative garden was officially opened this week by the Princess Royal on a private visit.
She read personal messages left by grieving families.
It was designed by Danny Clarke, known as The Black Gardener, who took his inspiration from woodland:
"I wanted a garden that was going to represent peace and tranquility, and a garden that was going to wrap itself around anyone that chose to sit in it.
"Especially the staff the stresses on them have been untold so it's great that they've got an area where they can come and get away from it even just for a few minutes if necessary."
This garden has only been open for two days but Karen Organ from the Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals Charity says already the benefits are huge:
"It's been quite apparent the last couple of days it's meant so much not just for the staff but for bereaved families as well, they've come in and taken time to contemplate and also for our patients.
"Yesterday we had someone in a wheelchair here who had come down to take some time away from the ward so it's covering a multitude of things we didn't expect when we first started the project."
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