A renovated reception area and garden designed by pupils from the Giles School will receive its official opening at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust’s Mental Health Unit at Pilgrim Hospital on Monday 9 July at 9.30am.

Representatives from the Kings Fund and Giles School will be visiting to view the renovations and artwork within the reception area and the revamped garden.

The process started many months ago when it was thought that the reception area needed to be changed.

A grant from the King’s Fund was used to pay for renovation and to purchase materials for felt making. The Trust asked design students from the Giles School to submit their ideas and selected one as the basis for the scheme. This was then made a reality by the Lincolnshire NHS Shared Services estates team. 

Anna Miners, General Manager at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust, said: “The reception area is the first area that people see on entering the Mental Health Unit and it is important that it is welcoming, especially as people may be feeling emotionally fragile when they arrive.  The Kings Fund has kindly provided a grant to top up the money that the Trust has contributed to improve the area.”

The Occupational Therapy staff have worked with Kate Hoyles, Community Arts Officer at the Giles School, local textile artist Lynn Jenkins and service users and staff to produce textile artworks in felt. 

Kate Hoyles said: “This was a great chance for people with mental health problems to gain confidence in their creative talents. Lynn and I have enjoyed working with people and seeing the work that they have created. In addition, the school has benefited, and will continue to do so in the future, from its new links with mental health services”.

The press is welcome to attend the site visit by the Kings Fund at the Mental Health Unit, Pilgrim Hospital – please contact Anna Miners 01775 762 832.