Published on 12 November 2019
Visitors to a magical garden are helping to raise money for a healing garden at the William Harvey Hospital.
The Garden of Light installation opened as part of the expansion of McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Ashford, and visitors are encouraged to donate towards the hospital intensive care unit’s charity appeal to create a garden for patients and visitors to use.
Staff and volunteers who have been working to raise money to transform a neglected courtyard were among the first visitors to the installation. As well as touring the different seasonally themed rooms, with interactive digital features including flowers bursting into bloom and falling leaves, they were able to test out the donation point at the entrance to the feature.
Natalie Daly, Ward Manager in the Intensive Care Unit and project lead, said:
“It was wonderful to see the Garden of Light and we were all so impressed with what they have managed to achieve in transforming an indoor space into a magical garden that really comes to life.
“We hope our garden will be just as exciting for our patients and we are looking forward to seeing it used as a safe space where they can feel the sun on their face or the breeze in their hair.”
Danielle Neligan, fundraising and development officer for East Kent Hospitals Charity, said the team was delighted to be working with McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Ashford on the project.
She said: “We are hugely grateful to the outlet team for this opportunity and I hope local people find the Garden of Light as wonderful as we did.
“It really is a fantastic experience, and the donation point makes it really easy for people to leave a donation for the intensive care unit appeal as they enter or leave the attraction.
“We rely on the generosity of the community our hospitals serve and this is a great way for people to donate.”
Entry to the Garden Of Light is free. For more information seewww.AshfordDesignerOutlet.com or to donate to the intensive care unit appeal visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/ekhc/criticalcarewhh
