BUPA's green fingered volunteers redevelop garden at local hospital

'His' and 'hers' gardens were created for psychiatric patients at Manchester's Prestwich Hospital by volunteers from BUPA Health Insurance in Salford Quays.

All 19 members of the team, which sells BUPA health insurance to large companies, took part in a day long community challenge at the hospital.

Based on feedback from patients the green fingered BUPA staff set about turning an uninspiring stretch of grass into an attractive garden and separating it into areas aimed at men and women.

On the women's side they created borders where they planted shrubs and bedding plants which will be looked after by the gardening club the patients are setting up. For the men they catered for their love of sport by buying a football net and ball to give the patients their own home pitch. Various pots filled with bedding plants were also placed on the paths surrounding the lawn to make it brighter and more colourful.

Volunteer Sanchia Gallagher, said: "The day was a great success and the staff and patients were thrilled with the end result. They couldn't believe how different the garden looked - it's somewhere they now want to spend time. Mucking in together was a fantastic team building exercise."

BUPA Community Connections supported the team's efforts by funding all the equipment and plants needed. Set up in 2001, BUPA Community Connections co-ordinates staff involvement and develops partnerships in the local communities that BUPA operates in.