Monday saw breaking ground in the Friends Garden in Harrogate District Hospital to launch the remodelling work to improve and update the existing garden. The gardens were originally created and opened in August 2001. The Friends of Harrogate Hospital celebrate their 60th Anniversary next year and wanted to mark the event with a lasting gift to the hospital patients, visitors and staff by remodelling the Friends Garden.
A new feature in the garden will be the ‘Tree of Life’ a metal sculpture designed and created by local artist Steve Blaylock. Steve made the Blue Peter ship in the Blue Peter Garden in Salford, created a metal sculpture of an angel for Johnny Vegas’s glamping site TV programme. The sculpture is a joint project with the trust’s Organ and Tissue Donation Committee and the Friends.
Dr Sarah Marsh (Clinical lead for the Organ Donation) said:
The “Tree of Life” memorial within the garden will stand as a tribute to the individuals and their families who, through the gift of organ and tissue donation, have transformed and saved the lives of others. We hope the memorial will be a centre point for reflection, gratitude and remembrance for those who have given the gift of life and for those whose lives have been touched by donation.
The construction works are being carried out by volunteers from Morgan Sindall Construction, Moortown Group ( Groundworks ), Marlborough Brickwork (stone Cairn), G&H (electrical) and Metfabs (Metallic Fabrications).
Steven Fry, Project Manager for Morgan Sindall said:
It is our pleasure to be helping Friends of Harrogate Hospital charity in remodelling this fantastic garden, we have seen firsthand, whilst building the new TIF2 theatres and radiology departments, how important this garden is to both the staff and the patients and with the help of our very generous supply chain and all our staff at Morgan Sindall, we are looking forward to completing this wonderful garden project.
John Fox, Chair of The Friends of Harrogate Hospital said:
We are extremely grateful for the tremendous effort by the volunteers to make this happen. The construction work is a major element of the works. We also appreciate the help and support from Carolyn Rothwell for her horticultural advice, Steve Blaylock, Dr Sarah Marsh, Yvonne Campbell of Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity and Ian Hutchinson, Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust. We are planning an official opening in Spring 2026.
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