The Catherine Gurney Sensory Garden was formally opened at St Andrews yesterday by Baroness Harris of Richmond.
Staff & patients at St Andrews were joined by local dignitaries including Baroness Masham, the Mayor of Harrogate Cllr Nigel Simms and Mayoress Lynne Simms, and Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire Barry Dodd CBE, to celebrate the formal opening of the garden, which was funded by a grant of £502,000 from LIBOR fines.
Baroness Harris, who has a special interest in the police as President of the National Association of Chaplains to the Police and a trustee of the Police Rehabilitation Centre, Flint House, paid special thanks to the staff that work behind the scenes at the PTC, getting officers back to better health & back to work.
More so now than ever, particularly with the increase in violent crime, the life of a police officer is at best stressful and in many cases very dangerous. Although many patients visiting the Treatment Centre come for physiotherapy, there are a number of patients who need support with stress, anxiety and other such conditions. The number of these cases is increasing with at least 20% of patients requiring some support.
Ronnie Macmillan, Head Gardener at Castlebrae, designed the Sensory garden at St Andrews with highly scented flowers, touch pots and camomile seat. The garden will provide great value in helping officers to relax during their stay at St Andrews. It will act as a quiet area for personal contemplation & will be of great benefit to these individuals’ recover.
Official Photographs by Sam Oakes Photography, www.samoakesphotography.com
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