W
L
DAME PATRICIA DELIGHTS WIRRAL HOSPICE
ST JOHN’S SUPPORTERS AT OPEN GARDEN EVENT
The sun was shining as people came, in their droves, to
witness Wirral’s own, Dame Patricia Routledge, perform
the official opening of Wirral Hospice St John’s newly
made over gardens on Saturday 29th June.
The hospice garden looked splendid in the summer
sunshine. Keen gardeners, who attend Open Garden’s to
take inspiration from the planting added their positive
feedback, on top of the hundreds of hospice well-wishers
and supporters who came along to enjoy the event itself,
admiring the bright and beautiful displays.
Janet Bamforth from the National Garden Scheme, which
opens 3,500 gardens in England and Wales each year for
charity, introduced Helen Knight, CEO of Wirral Hospice St
John’s, to welcome Dame Patricia to open the garden.
A charming speech by Dame Patricia, to thank the army of
volunteers, including patients, who had come together over
the last several months to transform the hospice gardens,
prepared everyone for two days of life-affirming sights and
sounds.
Ever the consummate professional, Dame Patricia took
everything in her stride on her hospice ‘walkabout’.
Engaging, accommodating, friendly, natural and, most of
all, she provided a welcome tonic for the hospice patients
who greeted her on the day.
It was a great weekend and there is more to come! In late July
the BBC North West Tonight Sunshine Garden in memory
of Dianne Oxberry, being showcased at the RHS Tatton Park
show, between 17th and 21st July is being transported to be
permanently sited at Wirral Hospice St John’s.
This means an extra four hundred and fifty plants and
flowers, hard landscaping materials and other garden
accoutrements, including a wonderful contemporary,
hand-made, seating arbour will be weaved into the hospice
gardens.
Helen Parkinson, Clinical Services Manager for Outpatients
and the Wellbeing Centre at the hospice said, “It was a really
emotional and uplifting weekend, the culmination of months
of hard work from so many stakeholders in our hospice and
the Wirral community. Dame Patricia was a delight and she
is welcome here whenever she’s back home in Wirral. Her
interaction, especially with patients, was priceless.
"Now we have so much to build on and look forward to for
the people who visit and, most importantly, for our patients
whenever they pop outside for a while to take in some fresh
air and enjoy the attractive view."
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