Green fingered volunteers are helping make things rosier at North Walsham hospital’s garden.

A new group is giving spare time to prune, weed and generally tidy the grounds of the War Memorial Hospital off Yarmouth Road.

They are keen to recruit more helpers, and are using tools and gardening materials bought by the hospital Friends group.

This week the gardening gang launched into action smartening up the beds around the patio area, where patients, visitors and staff sit to relax.

Hospital Friends chairman Keith Jarvis said: “We are delighted to see the volunteers working on the garden, where we are also funding new benches and picnic tables. The gardens are a lovely place to sit away from the ward, and where staff can enjoy a well-earned break outside.”

The Friends have bought wheelbarrows and compost for the helpers, who are a mix of local people and Aviva co-workers carrying out a corporate community project. The Norfolk Community and Health Care Trust, which runs the North Walsham unit, has also bought garden tools from its charity fund to help the project.

Volunteer co-ordinator Wendy Bryant explained: “We were all set up to launch this in April – then lockdown happened. So now we are getting the group off the ground for the first time, and they are already making a difference.”

She appealed for any other keen gardeners to join the hospital team. They can either drop in on their own, or work with volunteer colleagues. Anyone interested should contact wendy.bryant@nchc.nhs.uk