Rewilding Fairfield brings the community back to the grounds

A wellbeing garden was created to revitalise Fairfield General Hospital’s green spaces, boosting biodiversity and community engagement through volunteering and education

Rewilding Fairfield at a glance:

Type of garden: hospital garden
Location: Fairfield General Hospital, Lancashire
Budget: £56,500
Dimension: 9,174 square metres
Implementation phase: April 2024 – April 2025
Key features: wildflower meadow, wet woodland and bog garden, sensory planting, pollinator-friendly plants, raised beds, herbs, children’s play area, seating areas, accessible pathways

Fairfield sits in one of the most deprived wards in Bury, where access to natural green space is limited. When Catherine Wilkinson, Director of Finance at Fairfield General Hospital, and Emma Heinicke, Fundraising Officer at NorthCare Charity, recognised the potential of the underutilised green spaces surrounding the hospital, the need for a garden to support staff wellbeing and community health became clear.

The RHS Community Outreach team came on board to assist at every stage of the process, from early conversations with staff and local residents, through garden design and supplier coordination, to build days, planting and workshop facilitation. The consultation process was central to understanding how to develop a space for hospital patients recovering from illness and staff seeking a moment of calm between shifts, but also for the wider community eager to spend more time outdoors.

Between April 2024 and April 2025, Rewilding Fairfield transformed 9,174m² of neglected land into thriving green spaces that boost wellbeing and biodiversity. The collaborative project was led by Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust and NorthCare Charity, with support from the RHS and Lancashire Wildlife Trust, as well as local schools, nurseries and corporate partners.

Budget and process

The total cost to create Fairfield General Hospital’s wellbeing garden was £56,500. This was supported by a £40,000 grant from the Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund, £15,000 from NorthCare Charity and £1,500 from the RHS.

Other significant in-kind contributions included the donation of 190 trees from NHS Forest and 60 herbs from City Build. In 2024 alone, 93 volunteer days were recorded, while RHS staff contributed approximately 100 days over two years. The Green Spaces Fund team planted the trees and more than 13,000 bulbs.

This collaborative effort transformed the hospital grounds into an inclusive, biodiverse space that brings colour and connection to everyone who visits. Three distinct gardens have been created – the Education Garden, the Peace Garden and the Bog Garden – each with its own character and purpose. Throughout the site, additional pockets have also been planted with spring and flower bulbs, wildflowers, long grass and 300 perennials.

The Education Garden

The Education Garden connects directly to the public bridleway via an accessible path, allowing Fairfield Primary School pupils to reach it safely without using public roads. Learning circles, mud kitchens, bug hotels made from reclaimed timber and bird boxes painted by the children themselves make this a hands-on space for exploring minibeasts and growing edibles. In summer, they particularly enjoy foraging for strawberries and blueberries.

The Peace Garden

The Peace Garden was once a scrubby, unloved patch. Today, it’s alive with wild garlic, bluebells, bergenia and forget-me-nots, bringing colour, scent and seasonal beauty where there was none. Planters and benches crafted from reclaimed wood by local partner Touch Wood invite visitors to pause and connect with nature.

The Bog Garden

The Bog Garden creates vital habitat for wildlife while naturally managing water and enhancing biodiversity. It also doubles as an outdoor classroom, giving schools and nurseries the chance to learn in a space that benefits both people and planet. In 2025, the dry weather tested some of the moisture-loving plants; those that didn’t survive are being replaced with volunteer help and discussions are underway about rainwater harvesting as a sustainable long-term solution.

Learnings: what challenges did you encounter?

“One of the most significant challenges for our team was that we had limited experience managing green spaces designed specifically to support wildlife. Rather than seeing this as a setback, we turned it into an opportunity, reaching out to experts who generously shared their knowledge and provided invaluable support,” said Emma.

Working within an NHS hospital environment added another layer of complexity, requiring careful coordination with estates management, consideration of clinical operations and navigating existing grounds maintenance contracts while introducing new ways of managing the land.To reduce risks of any kind, ongoing training was introduced for staff responsible for maintaining the spaces, building confidence and ensuring the approach would be sustainable in the long term.

“A project of this scale, spanning multiple garden areas and involving corporate volunteers, local schools and conservation charities, demanded strong communication,” added Emma. “Working closely with the hospital’s facilities team proved essential, adapting our plans as needed and staying responsive to feedback.”

Lessons: what went well?

“One lesson stands out above all: bring people along from the start,” said Emma.

Lancashire Wildlife Trust were involved from the very beginning, helping turn a simple idea into something far more ambitious. The Conservation Volunteers developed the Bog Garden, while Touch Wood brought creativity and sustainability, designing and crafting bespoke bug hotels, planters and seating all from reclaimed timber.

This kind of cross-sector collaboration amplified impact far beyond what any single organisation could have achieved alone. Local schools, nurseries and corporate partners all played their part and that collective effort created something with real community ownership.

The project also demonstrates the value of thinking long-term and staying ambitious. It shows what’s possible when organisations commit to meaningful green space transformation and trust the process enough to let partnerships evolve along the way.

Impact of the wellbeing garden so far

“Rewilding Fairfield has brought the community back to the grounds. It can’t be underestimated how positively this project has been received,” said Catherine.

More than 100 NHS staff have taken part in gardening activities and 90 corporate volunteers joined them. New relationships have also been formed with local organisations such as The Conservation Volunteers and Touch Wood, extending the project’s reach well beyond the hospital gates. Partnerships with local schools, nurseries and charities have grown and continue to strengthen.The work is gaining recognition beyond Fairfield too. The project was nominated for Green Initiative of the Year at the Greater Manchester Health and Care Champion Awards in 2025 and was awarded Level 4: Thriving at RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood, as part of North West in Bloom, in 2025.

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Rewilding Fairfield brings the community back to the grounds

How the wellbeing garden began

Over 9,000² of neglected land has been planted in the grounds of Fairfield Hospital

Budget and process

In 2024, 93 volunteer days were recorded as part of Rewilding Fairfield

Corporate volunteers at work planting the Peace Garden

The Education Garden

The area where the Education Garden was created, before its regeneration

Now, children from the local school regularly visit the Education Garden

The Peace Garden

The Peace Garden invites visitors to connect with others or enjoy a quiet moment alone

Planters and benches were crafted from reclaimed wood by local partner Touch Wood

The Bog Garden

The Bog Garden naturally manages water while enhancing biodiversity

The space is regularly used by local schools and nurseries as an outdoor classroom

Learnings: what challenges did you encounter?

Bespoke bug hotels were crafted and installed to support pollinators

Lessons: what went well?

NorthCare Alliance NHS Fundation Trust staff with a Green Spaces Fund plaque

Impact of the wellbeing garden so far

Many NHS staff now garden at home, carrying the benefits of the project into their lives

Read more about the RHS Wellbeing Garden Blueprint

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