Taylor Wimpey : Proud to create new Stratford Hospital garden in just four hours

Date: Friday 01 November 2019

Our Midlands team and landscaping specialist Benchmark Grounds Maintenance helped create a new garden for the 85,000 patients, staff and visitors at Stratford Hospital to enjoy as part of the Forest of Hearts' Community Challenge.

The two companies worked together alongside other businesses and local groups to transform an area outside the hospital into a new 'Garden of Wellbeing' in just four hours on 25th September 2019. Our Midlands team funded a wishing well planter while the Benchmark team raced around Stratford to source materials and plants to install in the new garden. At the end of the event those who took part were able to chat with actor and new garden patron David Bradley, best known for his roles in Harry Potterand Game of Thrones.

The challenge was organised by the Forest of Hearts charity, which promotes accessible and sustainable forestry through 'forest gardens' which are designed to improve the wellbeing of the local community. The aim of the new hospital garden is to support not only hospital patients and staff but also people in the community who want to work together to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Carole Longden at Forest of Hearts said: 'We're so grateful to Taylor Wimpey and Benchmark for helping create the new garden at Stratford Hospital. Being able to contribute to the wellbeing and happiness of the people of Stratford is integral to what we do here at Forest of Hearts, so to have the support of companies who are involved in our local community is a huge boost to the hard work of our team.'

Anne Wallace, Sales and Marketing Director at Taylor Wimpey Midlands, said: 'It's an absolute honour to be able to help Forest of Hearts with their mission to improve the livelihoods of the people in their local community. The work that we do at Taylor Wimpey goes far beyond just building great quality homes, so when we were presented with the opportunity to team up with Benchmark and supply Forest of Hearts with a planter for the Garden of Wellbeing, we were delighted to be able to help.'

Caz Hackett from Benchmark adds: 'Gardening is at the heart of everything we do, so we were thrilled when we were given the opportunity to collaborate with Forest of Hearts in partnership with Taylor Wimpey. We were particularly interested to join forces due to the benefits that getting outside into nature has on mental and physical wellbeing. As well as this, we were really excited to be a part of something that offers such great support to the people of Stratford using the new hospital.'