This conference brought together clinicians, estate managers, conservation workers, artists and researchers to inspire the use of green space for the benefit of health, at healthcare centres across the country.
The event was a celebration of ten years of the NHS Forest and green space network – an alliance of 190 healthcare centres working to make the most of their outdoor spaces for patients, staff and the wider community.
In 2009 the NHS Forest began as a tree planting campaign, and its sites have since planted 58,600 trees. With growing evidence of the health benefits of green space, the network strengthened its remit to champion the value of NHS outdoor space in aiding recovery and preventing illness.
The conference showcased the achievements of its most innovative sites; explore the support that sites can offer their communities as ‘anchor institutions’, and air new plans for the decade ahead.
It was sponsored by the Innovation Agency, as part of their commitment to the Liverpool City Region Year of the Environment, in partnership with Mersey Forest and Liverpool and Sefton Health Partnership.
The chair of the conference was Gideon Ben-Tovim OBE, who is the Innovation Agency Chair; Chair of Nature Connected; and also the adviser on the natural environment to Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram.
Presentations:
- Sarah Dandy - NHS Forest Conference
- Pam Warhurst - The value of green space for healthcare
- Laura Wallace - The NHS as an anchor institution
- Ian Stenton - Community engagement, green space and anchor institutions
- Carl Dutton - Alder Hey's experience of engaging children in greenspace
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