On Friday 20 June, Oldham Intensive Care Unit (ICU) marked a major milestone with the official opening of its Courtyard Garden, a project that has been years in the making, driven by a shared vision to improve patient and staff wellbeing. The celebration brought together people who played a role in bringing the garden to life, including ICU and Pathology staff, NorthCare Charity, fundraisers, former and current patients, and representatives from funding bodies.
The event was also attended by Sheena McDonnell, the new Chair of the Northern Care Alliance, and the Mayor and Mayoress of Oldham, who praised the initiative and its impact on the local community.
The opening ceremony featured heartfelt speeches from Redmond Tully, Clinical Director of Intensive Care, Helen Torry, Advance Practitioner, ICU, and Jess Pollard, NorthCare Charity Fundraising Officer, each reflecting on the journey and the importance of creating a space that offers comfort, connection, and healing. Former patient Neil Lloyd, who has made a remarkable recovery since his time in ICU, was honoured to officially open the garden under a newly installed canopy that will provide shelter for patients during their visits.
The Courtyard Garden is designed to be a peaceful, multi-sensory retreat from the clinical environment. It offers patients, especially those recovering from long ICU stays, a chance to reconnect with nature, experience fresh air, and regain the world outside. The health and wellbeing benefits of time spent outside are well known. These benefits such as stress reduction, improved sleep patterns, improvements to mood and even pain relief are of increased importance and value to those patients who spend time in intensive care. In ICU people are often subject to lengthy stays including extended times on a ventilator, with sedation, unable to function independently and being separated from loved ones and normal routine. Even just a short time in a change of scenery can make a massive difference to someone’s stay and help reduce the chances of delirium.
Current patient, Debbie Littlehales, was able to leave the ward to attend the event and shared, “the staff took so much time in getting me ready and making a plan for me to be there but it was totally worth it, it was fantastic to see the space. Feeling the fresh air on your face was wonderful. I’m always outside and I am missing my garden so it was brilliant to be able to go outside”. Her partner Chris agreed and commented “its brilliant to take your mind off being in hospital, it feels like you are somewhere else and can have a break from what’s going on”.
Joel Paul, Consultant Virologist and Clinical Director of Infection Sciences, shared his appreciation for the transformation: “Please extend my sincere thanks to all involved for converting the view from my window to be such a pleasant and relaxing experience in between my busy clinical work.”
Beyond its impact on patients, the garden also offers meaningful benefits to families and staff. It provides a space to take breaks, have personal conversations, and can even facilitate special moments, such as visits from loved ones and pets. These not only enhance the experience for patients but help build stronger connections between staff, allowing for more personalised care and emotional support. Lino Bachoco has kindly shared his personal expereince below.
For staff, the garden is a welcome escape from the high-pressure environment of the ICU. Outdoor transfers are typically low-risk and offer a chance to spend quality time with patients in a more relaxed setting. The garden also serves as a space for staff to take breaks, recharge, and reflect, building on the success of the “wobble rooms” introduced during the first wave of the pandemic.
Looking ahead the team will continue to build the volunteer groupmade up of staff, former patients and families who look after the space and shape its future. The hope is it will be used daily for rehabilitation and that it can create cherished memories or even host special occasions such as birthdays.
The Courtyard Garden stands as a testament to what can be achieved when compassion, collaboration, and community come together. It’s more than just a garden—it’s a symbol of hope, healing, and the power of nature to transform lives.
"My ICU Garden Experience” - Lino Bachoco
"When you’re an inpatient in the ICU, the days blur into each other—Bellavistas beeping, clouds in the ceiling you’re confused about, the last minute of a 3-hour sitting exercise. So when the doctors and nurses offered to take me out into the ICU garden, I thought okay, something new. But I didn’t realise the impact it would have on me. As I was brought outside into the fresh air after being confined within the walls of Pods B and C for so long—it was everything. It gave me a sense of normalcy. It reminded me that the world was still there, waiting.
"That garden became more than just a patch of green. It was a space where life continued. Where emotions could breathe. It’s the place I told my daughter I’d lost both my legs. She was only four then.
"I knew I had to tell her gently, so I turned it into a little game. I said, “Let’s play a game, you pick one thing to keep, and the one you don’t pick—you can never have again, forever.” Mango or watermelon? She picked mango. “That means no more watermelon—ever.” She paused and asked, “Forever?” I nodded, “Yes, forever.” I asked a few more questions and then I told her that the doctors gave me a choice too: either keep my legs… or be able to see her and her brother again. She looked up at me and asked, “What did you choose?” I pulled the blanket back and showed her. “I chose you.” She gave me the tightest hug, and she cried. We both did.
"That core memory happened in the ICU garden. And it changed me. It’s one I carry in my heart every single day.
"Coming back to visit the newly revamped garden was nostalgic. It’s beautiful. Peaceful. Full of life. A space where healing doesn’t always look like medicine. Sometimes it looks like sunshine on your face, the rustle of leaves, the sound of your child’s laugh.
"A space like that in the hospital, for ICU patients, staff, or anyone that needs a break from whatever they are going through isn’t a luxury. It’s a lifeline. A place to feel normal in the most abnormal circumstances. A space for real moments, big and small. For conversations, for peace, for truth, for hope.
"That garden, that particular moment is where I was reminded why I chose to keep fighting.
"And for that, I’ll always be grateful."