NHS Property Services (NHSPS) has delivered 100 hubs and gardens across the country with the aim to promote community wellbeing and connectivity through nature-centric environments since 2019.
To continue its mission of promoting community wellbeing and connectivity through nature-centric environments, the NHS estates management company that is government owned has teamed with a number of organisations:
Groundwork, a UK-based environmental charity. Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK Chief Executive, said: “This is a great example of innovative thinking to minimise plastic waste while improving much needed open spaces in local communities.”
“We’re proud to be playing our part in delivering this project with the sustainable design expertise and nature-based solutions brought by our Landscape Architects, and look forward to seeing the benefits it brings to communities and the environment,” Duxbury concluded.
NHS Property Services, Tesco, Veolia, and Groundwork have joined forces to recycle soft plastics into outdoor furniture for upcoming social prescribing green spaces
Veolia, a France-based transnational company that specialises in decarbonisation, de-pollution, and resource generation.
Adam Wylie, Managing Director of Commercial at Veolia, said: “It’s great to be working on this unique project which brings together three of our partners: Tesco, one of our most innovative partnerships that is bolstering the circular economy; with the NHS in providing energy, decarbonisation and resource management solutions; and Groundwork as our charity partner and with whom we have delivered ambitious social value campaigns across the country to support the local communities we serve every day.”
“Utilising recycled materials in green spaces and collaborating across private and public bodies to deliver these social prescribing gardens is a testament to how we can and must all work together to deliver ecological transformation,” Wylie concluded.
Tesco, a UK-based multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer completes the partners in this project.
Tesco donated over 6 tonnes of soft plastics, which were transformed into a sustainable 100% recycled plastic lumber
Tesco donated over 6 tonnes of soft plastics (or 155,500 individual soft plastics), which were transformed into a sustainable 100% recycled plastic lumber, Smartawood (trademarked).
This lumber was accredited by BBA with a life expectancy of 120 years, requires little maintenance and is designed not to rot or rust. Overall, this process resulted in approximately 15.5 kg of CO2 savings.
Tony McElroy, Tesco Head of Campaigns, said: “It’s fantastic to see the soft plastic that our customers are returning being turned into something new that will benefit communities and help give young people a stronger start in life. It’s still our absolute priority to remove and reduce as much plastic as possible and make sure everything we use is recycled and kept out of the environment.”
The first beneficiary of this collaboration is John Scott Health Centre. The London health and care facility has seen its green space revitalised to give areas for community engagement and social prescribing activities.
The first beneficiary of this collaboration is John Scott Health Centre
John Scott Health Centre, the first purpose-built health centre in Britain, was once home to an active gardening group which lost its space to a pop-up vaccination centre during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, NHSPS has reinstated the garden area, making it a welcoming and usable area with decking and accessible picnic tables.
Further projects are being planned at:
- Maghull Health Centre
- Merseyside
- Goscote Hospice
- Walsall
- Shaw House
- St Austell and Whitby Community Hospital
Top image: Volunteers and staff at John Scott Health Centre with representatives from NHS Property Services, Tesco, Veolia, and Groundwork, sitting on a picnic bench created with Smartawood from soft plastics donated by Tesco