Ward 2 tackling huge 985 mile virtual bike ride to raise funds for new mural
Colleagues on Ward 2 at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital are taking part in a mammoth bike ride to raise funds for a mural in their garden.
The team will be clocking up the miles on a static exercise bike and will plot their journey along the famous route from Land’s End in Cornwall to John o’ Groats located in the far north of Scotland – with a few additional stops at our 5 hospital sites along the way.
This will take the total distance covered to 985 miles which they aim to complete in around 10 days.
Ward 2 opened on 6 January 2020 and is a 14 single bedded ward, which are all side rooms. The ward provides end of life care for those individuals in the last days and weeks of life, as well as offering a rounded package of holistic care to both patients and their families.
Clare Hicklin, Sister on Ward 2, said the funds will enable the team to have a mural painted in their garden, which has recently undergone a makeover thanks to the hard-working staff and kind volunteers.
She said: “In recent months, we’ve all worked hard to spruce up our garden, and the mural would round everything off really nicely. We’ve had some lovely feedback from patients and families about the garden. It really brings a huge joy to our patients to enjoy the fresh air. We’re hoping the addition of the mural can make it an even more special place that is peaceful and restful.”
Saran Walters, Trainee Nurse Associate, said: “It will create a beautiful, peaceful and tranquil atmosphere for our patients and relatives”.
Bridget Bennett, Healthcare Assistant, added: “The beautiful space for them means the world to us as a team.”
E J Lance, Resident Artist with Air Arts, has created several murals across UHDB, said: "I am really pleased to be invited to be involved in this very special project. My mural work focuses on our positive human responses to nature, to create places which have been described by people who have been in them as ‘beautiful, unique places where I feel calm and happy’.
“I am looking forward to working with the staff and patients at Ward 2 to help bring their ideas and hopes for the garden into being.”
Christine Lewis, Healthcare Assistant, said: “Our patients who are approaching the end of their life, the garden is the most amazing place. Especially when they thought being in a hospital side room would be all they would see. It is so lovely to see them outside in the sunshine.
“We’re hoping to take inspiration from the tree of life for the design as we see end of life care about quality and a celebration of life.”
Visit Ward 2’s JustGiving page to make a donation (opens in new window) >