Nature Connections update with our RSPB Nature and Wellbeing Officer Beth

Read all about what Beth has been busy doing at the Western General Hospital since joining the team!

Since coming into post at the beginning of May, it has been a privilege to work alongside NHS and charity staff, patients and visitors to develop opportunities for people to connect with nature while at the Western General. The benefits of connecting with nature are enormous – from increased individual health and wellbeing to promoting nature friendly behaviours by inspiring and empowering people to look after our natural world. Partnership working is key to the success of Nature Connections at WGH! In addition to all the amazing NHS staff, I am enormously grateful to the community engagement team at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, the participants and staff at the Tool Shed workshop in Saughton Prison and volunteers from the Edinburgh Natural History Society and Edinburgh RSPB Local Group.

Some highlights so far:

2 x Botanic Gardens NHS staff tours

23 members of staff came along for a guided tour around the Botanic Gardens – one in the evening after it had closed to the public, and one on a Saturday morning.

Radiology courtyard garden day

13 members of staff from the Radiology department came out to lend a hand with weeding and looking after the waiting room courtyard. As well as improving the outdoor space for enjoyment of both staff and patients, this gave an opportunity to get fresh air, discover some of the plants and insects in the space and enjoy the satisfaction of a job ‘well done’ together! Get in touch if you’re interested in replicating this in an outdoor space near your department. Equipment, advice and enthusiasm for weeds are all provided!

Free herbs workshop

A record 26 members of staff came to a drop-in about how to grow your herbs for free, including taking cuttings from rosemary plants on-site and planting mint from a supermarket packet.

Including….

Plant Propagation workshop:

Supported by 2 long-standing garden volunteers Jilli and Malcolm, who shared their invaluable knowledge! Staff and visitors could learn how to take cuttings, make their own ‘plants for free’ and help make cuttings which will be planted into the hospital grounds next year.

Wildlife ID drop ins:

Opportunities to learn a little about the different plants, butterflies, moth, insects, birds and more which call the Western General home. Learning about these living thing can empower us to help protect them. By recording them using apps like iNaturalist, we can start to learn about the ecosystem we are part of and learn how to look after it so that both people and wildlife thrive together. Looking at wildlife can also be a very mindful, relaxing activity! It can also inspire ‘awe’ at the immense diversity of wildlife on our doorsteps. ‘Feelings of awe’ have been proven to have a positive impact on our health, both mental and physical.

6 ‘Bird Watching Bundles’ delivered to wards and departments

So far we’ve given ‘bird watching bundles’ containing binoculars and bird guides to:

The teenage and young adult cancer ward, for use by ward staff and in 1:1 patient sessions delivered by the Teenage Cancer Trust.
The Metabolic Unit, which is regularly attended by families with young children – so the bird watching bundles will provide some much appreciated entertainment in the waiting room, which looks onto an internal courtyard.
A medical research department within the Edinburgh Cancer Centre. Staff here have an existing interest in birds and their office looks onto a hedge and some bird feeders.
The pharmacy department, where they will be used during break times by staff who work in windowless rooms.
The manual handling training team, who always try to get outdoors at lunch time as their office only has a small window.
The staff team on a cancer ward, who have use of a balcony off their staff room.

Interested in a bundle for your ward or department? Get in touch!

2 Outdoor spaces being developed into growing spaces for staff

With funding from the NHS Lothian Charity Climate Challenge, 4 raised beds and additional seating are being installed at 2 sites – the AFB Staff Wellbeing Courtyard and a currently disused piece of ground between Dialysis and the Inverleith Building. The intention is for NHS staff to have access to a space onsite where they can get involved with growing food, flowers and wildlife friendly plants. This makes the spaces, which are currently all covered in concrete or rubble, into green havens that support wildlife as well as peoples’ wellbeing. This idea has been developed with staff from various departments including estates, radiology, pharmacy, medical physics and main x-ray. Spaces will be open to ALL WGH STAFF! Get in touch to get involved.

1 Bioblitz!

On 7^th October, we put wildlife ID skills into action to give a ‘snap shot’ of as much wildlife as we could find – with expert guidance from 7 members of the Edinburgh Natural History Society. We were especially delighted to have two world-leading Bryophyte (that’s mostly Moss, to you and I!) experts who found 49 different species within a small area around the Wellbeing Wing. Proving that there is a huge diversity of nature all around us – whether we notice it yet or not. More on this to follow!

1 Dead hedge built

Staff and volunteers were invited to come along to AFB Courtyard 5 to help build a ‘dead hedge’ – using branches and twigs to create a natural hedge providing hiding places and nesting habitats for all sorts of creatures as well as food for insects. It’s also an easy way of dealing with garden waste! Prior to this, courtyard 5 was locked due to health and safety concerns about the greenhouse in courtyard 6. A dead hedge creates an instant natural barrier separating the two. An action which gives nature a home also helps open the door to people – a brilliant example of how ‘nature connections’ can benefit us and wildlife simultaneously! There are 2 new – highly anticipated – dementia friendly benches in the courtyard, installed by NHS Lothian Charity and the Estates team. The Meaningful Activities Coordinators look forward to taking patients outdoors in the warmer months.