Number 1010355
The Irwell Garden
Just over 2 years ago Action Factory and the In Patient Occupational Therapy Team at Fairfield General Hospital in Bury came together to transform an outdoor space for the people accommodated in the Irwell Unit, which is a a place that provides support for people with mental health needs.
Occupational Therapists - Joanne Wolstenholme and Lindsay Thompson believed that the arts can be extremely beneficial to patient recovery and wanted to provide workshops that supported participation for service users in a meaningful recovery based interventions.
Action Factory places active engagement in art at the core of its practice, using the arts as a tool to nurture positive change in individuals and communities.
Making the components to create a magical space
We started the scheme by consulting with patients and held workshops to design the garden. This part of the creative journey involved patients in a variety of arts activities, one of which was the building of a model. This model was used to focus further discussion on the development of a plan for the garden.
The development of the scheme was based on a weekly workshop programme with 2 artists so that the bond between patients and artists was strengthened as the project progressed.
"During the 6 weeks of consultation workshops, one patient in particular showed a consistent interest, but would never join in. During the last consultation workshop we persuaded her to come into the room and have a closer look. Within half an hour she was joining in, moving models around and actively voicing her opinion. Staff later remarked on the significance of this, as it was the first time she taken part in anything".
Chris Johnstone, Artist.
The ideas and suggestions were presented at a meeting with hospital managers, and from that a further workshop programme was developed to create the flamboyant fence, stepping stones and totem with canopy.
"Place the patients at the core of the creative journey has made such a difference to many individuals' recovery. The resultant environmental improvement is a joy and will provide benefits for years to come.
"The modest investment from our own NHS resources supplemented by funding from the Lottery and Lankelly Chase Foundation has made this a realisty.
"We are fully committed supporters of the value that active participation in the arts can make."
Joanne Wolstenholme, Occupational Therapist & Therapeutic Activity Co-ordinator, The Irwell Unit.
