Forget Me Not Garden Receives a Makeover

Shield Team Provides Dementia Patients With Smiles In Refreshed Garden 

A team from Shield Asbestos Services’ Warrington branch has provided time and resources to makeover the dementia ward garden at Warrington Hospital.

Dean Karim, Asbestos Supervisor, Glenn Sixsmith, Asbestos Operative, Adam Horrocks Trainee Asbestos Operative and Tom Diamond, Test Engineer, along with Nirm Kaur from our Social Value team, spent the morning giving back and helping to create a wonderful environment for patients.

Tom made a wooden planter from off-cuts of timber, which we kindly donated, as well as erecting a pergola in the garden. The rest of the team was on painting duty, including the summer house and planter.

Nirm Kaur reflected, “On a glorious sunny day, it felt great to be outside. I can’t imagine what dementia patients and their families experience on a daily basis, so to put a smile on their faces whilst they are in the garden is priceless. The hospital has an amazing charity that, along with volunteers and fundraisers, looks to make life a little easier and bring joy on a daily basis. It was also lovely to see some of the older volunteers tending to the flowers and strawberries.”

Tom Diamond commented, “It’s good to give back and great to re-use and upcycle the waste timber and put it to good use.”

Dean Karim shared some personal thoughts, “I was a bit scared at first, to be honest, about going into a dementia ward, as a family member is currently going through this and I didn’t know what to expect. It’s a great charity, so seeing the support they give to patients and their families made me feel good that I could do my bit and give back. I wished we had a bit more time there – as there were quite a few jobs that we could help out with. I loved the garden, with all the flowers, it looked nice, and I even tasted the home-grown strawberries which tasted very nice. It was definitely a positive experience.”

Helen Higginson, Head of Fundraising at WHH Charity, commented, “On Wednesday 21st June Warrington and Halton Hospitals Charity welcomed volunteers from local Warrington business, Shield Services. The team worked together and completed the painting of a summer house and erected a pergola, all within the confines of Warrington Hospital’s dementia ward garden. This unique place provides a calming and relaxing area where patients and their families can enjoy a little time away from the ward. WHH Charity wishes to thank each and every one of the team for making a difference #togetherweareamazing.”

Since our inception, Shield Services Group has always supported good causes and those in need of assistance.  Helping the disadvantaged is a core part of our values and reflects the family way in which we operate.  Since 2021 we have been measuring all of our Social Value activities to demonstrate the positive impact that we have across our various office and project locations.

Click here to see news on all of our Social Value activities.