TV host Lorraine Kelly opens garden at St George's Hospital in Tooting

Britain's most enduring and perkiest TV host, Lorraine Kelly, has opened a hospital garden designed to give patients and staff a peaceful space away from the bustle of its wards.

The garden area outside Atkinson Morley Wing at St George's Hospital, Tooting, has been transformed thanks to charitable funding.

The project, was filmed for ITV's Lorraine show and opened by the host herself, following the transformation with new plants, seating areas and walkways.

The work was jointly funded by the hospital trust and St George's Hospital Charity, as well as accessing funds from NHS Charities Together.

The work was undertaken by Bowles & Wyer's team of expert landscape architects, designers, builders, horticulturists and gardeners, who worked closely with the hospital's garden, estates and facilities teams and opened just in time for Christmas.

The project is one of many made possible thanks to grants to hospital charities from NHS Charities Together, whose most famous fundraiser – Captain Tom – raised more than £30 million earlier in 2020 doing laps of his own garden.

Another new well-being hub for staff is also planned. Work on the Atkinson Morley Wing garden started in October 2020, when TV's Dr Hilary Jones visited and talked to staff about the impact of Covid-19 on the Trust's services, and the importance of staff health and wellbeing, particularly given the demands of recent months.

Amerjit Chohan, chief executive of St George's Hospital Charity, said: "We are really delighted to support the Trust with this fantastic project. Making the lives of staff and patients that little bit easier is a big part of what we are trying to do, so we are really excited to be a part of this."

More from St George's Hospital:

• St George's Hospital one of 50 hubs in country to start Covid-19 vaccination programme
• St George's Hospital Mortuary Assistant's mammoth press up challenge
• Tooting Children's Garden outside St George's Hospital gets new refurbishment

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