Garden furniture gift for Brehon Ward residents

Wednesday 22 May 2019

Brehon Ward residents and their family and friends are all decked out for the summer thanks to a donation of garden furniture.

B&Q has supplied the long-term care facility at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital with a table, chairs and a parasol so they can better enjoy the green space outside their ward.

The donation came about after Jean Rolls, a volunteer from therapy dog charity Wellbeing Animals Guernsey, approached the Guernsey store about potentially kitting out the area, which had a greenhouse but no outside furniture. 

The charity’s volunteers and their dogs are regular visitors at the hospital, care and residential homes and other establishments throughout the island, and Mrs Rolls has been going there with her three-year-old Bichon Frise Tilly for the last 18 months. 

"One day earlier this year when the sun was shining I thought if they had some chairs and a parasol out here, they could come out with their family and friends to have a chat and relax when the weather is nice," she said.

"I thought I would take the bull by the horns and went cap in hand to B&Q. I thought they might provide some of last year’s stock, but they gave us all of this brand new furniture and delivered it for us. The parasol is important because it gives them somewhere shaded as well."

B&Q Trading Manager Paulo Costa said they were happy to support Mrs Rolls plans. 

“We were really happy to help. B&Q works with quite a lot of charities in the UK, so when someone approaches us we look to see what we can do to make a difference.”

Brehon Ward Manager Ellen Waring said it would do just that. 

“We are very grateful for the kind donation of garden furniture to Brehon Ward that will allow both patients and families to sit outside in the sunshine, enjoying quality time together."

Deputy Ward Manager Sheena Ferrer added: "Although some of them have their own specialized chairs the staff and their family and friends are able to use the furniture out here so they don’t have to drag chairs out, and the parasol is really handy as well.

Ward resident Sheila Hutchinson has already made use of the recently-arrived furniture and looks forward to using it during the summer. 

"I love gardening and using the greenhouse. I used to work in greenhouses for my dad doing roses and all sorts of other flowers.”

Brehon Ward is a long-term care facility for adult mental health patients. 

Pictured top: Sheena Ferrer, Sheila Hutchinson with Tilly, Jean Rolls, Paulo Costa and Ron Board.