Nottingham’s hidden meadow celebrates a decade of mental health support
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has marked a decade since Spinney Meadow first opened at The Wells Road Centre in Mapperley, Nottingham - celebrating ten years of nature-based, recovery-focused activity that has supported hundreds of patients, staff and volunteers.
Created as a therapeutic green space within the secure perimeter of The Wells Road Centre, Spinney Meadow has become a vibrant hub for occupational therapy, horticulture and animal-assisted activities. Over the last ten years, patients have been involved in caring for small livestock, growing fruit and vegetables and learning practical skills such as woodland management and construction - all designed to build confidence, purpose and wellbeing on the journey of recovery.
A service user who regular visits the meadow said:
Visiting Spinney every day and taking part in activities like caring for the animals, gardening and building projects has helped me and my peers develop important life skills. We're grateful to the staff for their support and to the animals for making the space so special. Being involved in the recent event also gave us valuable experience in planning and teamwork.
Spinney Meadow provides dedicated green space for patients at The Wells Road Centre, where low secure inpatient services support adult men and women with mental illness and/or personality disorder, and specialist services for adult men with intellectual disabilities. Therapeutic activities delivered at the Meadow have included horticulture, animal care, woodland management and construction skills, alongside seasonal growing and healthy-cooking projects that use produce grown on site. The site has also been recognised for excellence in community participation, environmental responsibility and gardening achievement, having previously received an 'Outstanding' rating in assessments supported by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
Spinney Meadow's first ten years have brought environmental as well as therapeutic benefits. In recent seasons, the Wells Road Centre team and volunteers planted more than a hundred new trees on site as part of the NHS Forest programme, enhancing biodiversity, shade and habitat while creating new spaces for quiet reflection and conversation.
Lynn Walker, Head of Sustainability at Notts Healthcare said:
Spinney Meadow is not just a space for recovery - it's a green haven that demonstrates how healthcare and the environment can thrive together. Over the past ten years, we've seen how planting trees, nurturing wildlife habitats and creating biodiverse green spaces can support wellbeing, reduce stress and bring people closer to nature. Our collaboration with the NHS Forest programme has been particularly rewarding, allowing us to plant hundreds of trees and expand the Meadow's canopy, creating shade, shelter and habitats for wildlife. Spinney Meadow is a perfect example of how sustainable, nature-focused initiatives can benefit both people and the planet.
Reflecting on the milestone, Diane Hull, Chief Nurse at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said:
Reaching the tenth anniversary of Spinney Meadow is a truly special moment for everyone connected with The Wells Road Centre. The space has become much more than a garden - it is a place of hope, recovery and opportunity. For many of our service users, the chance to nurture plants, care for animals and spend time in nature has been transformational. It helps people regain confidence, develop new skills and most importantly, look forward to the future. This is a shining example of how therapeutic environments can make a lasting difference to recovery.
The Wells Road Centre is Nottinghamshire Healthcare's low secure unit in Mapperley, Nottingham. The service provides recovery-focused care for adults and offers a structured programme of therapeutic, psychological and practical activities - with Spinney Meadow providing a unique, purpose-built green space within the secure perimeter.
The anniversary was marked with a special celebration that brought together patients, staff and volunteers. The day featured activities across the Meadow, opportunities to showcase projects and produce and live music. It was a chance for everyone to come together, recognise achievements and reflect on a decade of growth and recovery at Spinney Meadow.
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