The Pilgrims Hospice in Thanet has a large outside garden space but staff were becoming increasingly concerned that it wasn’t being used by patients and their families, carers and friends as often as they would like.

In order to encourage greater use, they wanted to provide more accessible seating areas, lighting to make the gardens feel safer on warm evenings and a PA system to assist with memorial services as well as outdoor entertainment for patients.

Welcoming gardens for Thanet’s Pilgrims Hospice

After successfully applying to the KCC Combined Member Grant scheme for £5000, and with the help of volunteers, the Pilgrims Hospice started work on the gardens in May 2016.

Areas of the garden have been landscaped to ensure safe and stable surfaces for people to walk on, and access the new benches and arbour sited next to newly planted shrubs, including hydrangeas, roses and jasmine.

Families started using the new facilities as soon as they were put in place and have commented on how much they love the refurbished garden.

Together with the newly installed LED spotlights, festoon lights decorating the trees and the new PA system, the garden has been transformed and is now ready to host a wide variety of events.

Heather Sawney, Special Projects Manager said, “A huge thank you to the KCC member Trevor Shonk who supported this grant and made this possible.

“Our front garden is now transformed, is welcoming and being actively used and is ready to host a wide variety of events”.