Hospice gets a ‘gold’ RHS Chelsea Flower Show makeover

We are very excited to announce our partnership with 2017’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal Winner Charlotte Harris, who has designed the hospice gardens at your new state-of-the-art hospice facility in Goldsworth Park Centre, Woking.

Landscape Designer Charlotte Harris is the founder and co-owner of Harris Bugg Studios with Hugo Bugg, who is also a Chelsea multi-medal winner. They are two of the UK’s most exciting designers to emerge in recent years.

Woking & Sam Beare Hospices cared for Charlotte’s Mother, who sadly passed away in 1999.

Charlotte comments: “My earliest memories are of Mum in the garden. It is therefore a wonderful tribute to her, and as a way to be able to give something back to the care provider that did so much for her and for me, by being able to design the hospice’s gardens. I am greatly inspired by the work of hospices and I see a strong alignment with the principles underpinning my own landscaping work/vision. It is therefore my privilege to be able to do this.”

The hospice has three garden spaces: the Retreat Garden, which is at the front of the hospice next to its café that will shortly be open to the public; the Wildlife Garden, which is to the rear; and the Encircling Garden, which follows the perimeter of the hospice’s grounds. Charlotte is designing and advising on the landscaping and planting and she will be leading the planting on the Retreat Garden with Willerby’s Landscapers and the hospice’s garden volunteers.

Jayne Cooper, CEO of Woking & Sam Beare Hospices, adds: “We are so proud of our fabulous new state-of-the-art facility that we are now able to provide the Surrey community with. Our patients and their families and carers are at the heart of everything we do and our motivation has been to create the very best possible environment for all who come to and/or stay at the hospice. We are therefore thrilled to have the prestige of our gardens designed and landscaped by Charlotte Harris. It only seems fitting to have the same quality outside the hospice as in.”

Woking & Sam Beare Hospices could not deliver the level of productivity it does across its clinical services, retail outlets and in support of its other departments without the generosity of the community.

Jayne adds: “We are extremely grateful to Charlotte and honoured to have such fabulous garden design. I would also like to take the opportunity to extend a special thank you to the family who made an extremely generous donation towards the Retreat Garden, but would like to remain anonymous. None of this would have been possible without Willerby’s Landscapers who are providing their contractual support and Deepdale Trees, which equates to a considerable value. And of course to all of our volunteers. On behalf of all of us at the hospice and those who benefit from our care – thank you.”

It is anticipated that the Retreat Garden will take up to 3 – 4 weeks to be completed. During this time part of the hospice’s visitor car park will be out of use for visitors as designating space will need to be reserved for the garden contractors. The hospice hopes that this will not cause any inconvenience to visitors and apologies in advance.

Jayne Cooper concludes: “This is such an exciting time for all of us at Woking & Sam Beare Hospices and for future developments in specialist palliative care. The generosity of the community in support of our New Build Capital Appeal has been incredible. Like many charity’s we are hugely reliant on voluntary income and there are many different ways for anyone of any age to support us and the work we deliver to over 1,400 patients and their families across Surrey.

Our doors are open to the whole community and not just to those we care for. Please do visit us and at the same time see Charlotte’s fabulous garden developments or sample the menu when our new café opens to the public next week.”

For more information about how you can support us please read more here or email fundraising@wsbhospices.co.uk 

If you would like to join our team of volunteers please visit our volunteers page.