Yeovil Hospital Wins People's Millions £49k of Lottery Funding

Yeovil District Hospital has won £49,020 of lottery funding from the People's Millions after submitting a bid to create a dementia-friendly garden in the hospital's grounds after competing against the Growing Together project in Bath.

The People's Millions is a partnership between the Big Lottery Fund and ITV, in which telephone voting from the public helps decide which local community projects receive up to £50,000 of National Lottery funding.

The dementia-friendly garden will be specially designed to provide a safe, stimulating and enjoyable outdoor space to be enjoyed by all patients but particularly those with dementia.

Large numbers of patients with dementia will spend weeks in hospital and are unable to enjoy any time outside due to the complex nature of their condition, and the difficulties of ensuring their safety away from a ward. However, research shows that being outside and being able to undertake some physical exercise can help to maintain normal sleeping patterns and daily rhythms, improve a person's sense of wellbeing, and help to relieve distress.

Janine Valentine, Yeovil Hospital's Nurse Consultant for Older People, said: "We would like to thank everyone who supported us in winning this money. We were overwhelmed with support from local businesses, schools and people in the community.

"This project will allow us to create a safe therapeutic space that patients with dementia can visit along with their friends and families. The project will benefit not only patients with dementia but all patients and visitors within the hospital.

"We are so passionate about improving the experience of people who need to come into hospital and this project will help us to do that."

James Kirton, Head of Fundraising, said: "We submitted our original bid back in the spring and it was a real battle to be shortlisted. To then go on and be the winner was unbelievable. Thank you to everyone who voted for us"

Work on the garden will begin in the New Year. The garden will feature live music and activities as well as areas where patients can get involved in planting and maintaining the garden.

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Contact:

Amy Mercer

01935 384233

Amy.Mercer@YDH.NHS.UK