Greenhouse project launched at local care home

To celebrate National Allotment Week, which is taking place from 9th – 15th August, a Bingley-based care home has built a greenhouse with an accompanying pond. To help green-fingered residents enjoy the new facilities, staff have also set up a weekly gardening club, where people can come together and share their top tips on how to get the best blooms from their new garden.

Staff at the Cottingley Hall Bupa Care Home have worked hard to prepare the Cottingley Hall Greenhouse Project and get it up and running for a new weekly gardening club to convene. So far, the project has been a great success, with one resident in particular, Dennis Brown, tending to plants in the greenhouse every day.

Dennis, 91, said: “The Greenhouse Project has been a fantastic addition to the home. I enjoy spending time there and visit daily to check on the plants. Gardening is a new venture of mine, which I’ve been encouraged to explore more thanks to staff here.

“My top tip on how to be a good gardener is to get to know your garden well and have an idea of what you would like to see in it. You should always take good care of your garden to give it what it needs so that you can grow the best possible plants, fruits, or vegetables.”

Dennis continues: “We’re also adding a new plot at the side of the greenhouse so that we can grow raspberries, strawberries, and potatoes – which I’m looking forward to eating! Currently, I’m thoroughly enjoying the tomatoes, lettuce, chillies, cucumber and herbs and spices we’ve managed to grow.”

Resident Mary Shaw, 91, added: “I really enjoy my daily walk around the gardens. I like to keep busy and have a purpose to go out for, so am really making the most of the greenhouse space. Most days, I’ll pop in to check that the area is nice and clean and if there are any other residents in there, we’ll sit and have a chat.”

Resident Winifred Craven, 87, has also been making good use of the greenhouse and garden space, commenting: “It’s a great addition to the home. It keeps us all very busy, and I love all of the plants. It’s been very well kept by all residents, with support from the home gardeners. Visiting the greenhouse always brings a smile to my face as it encourages me to get outside more – something I used to relish when I was younger.”

Not only has the greenhouse been a success in providing residents with an active task to keep them suitably busy, but it has also encouraged blossoming friendships as residents regularly use the greenhouse space to meet up and share their favourite gardening tips and tricks with each other.

Lorraine Tinkler, Home Manager at Cottingley Hall Bupa Care Home, said: “Seeing our residents form new friendships from the introduction of the Greenhouse Project is such a rewarding result. A few of our residents used to be keen gardeners so it’s great to give them their own area to concentrate on and contribute to. Not only is it an active hobby to pick up, it also provides our residents with a good excuse to get outside into the fresh air and meet up socially.”

Cottingley Hall Bupa Care Home is situated in Bingley and welcomes residents in need of nursing or residential care, either on a short-term respite basis or permanent care, including those living with Parkinson’s and in need of end of life care. For further information, please visit https://www.bupa.co.uk/care-services.

click here for more details or to contact Cottingley Hall Care Home