The gardening team
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The gardening team at Addenbrooke’s play a huge role in keeping the site clean, tidy and improving the patient experience by providing displays that brighten up the buildings and grounds.
The team consists of six people, one of whom – the Charge hand – is the team leader. The gardeners’ normal working week is from eight in the morning until four in the afternoon Monday to Friday but they also work regular Saturdays on a rota basis as well as manning a 24 hour on-call rota from November to March to make sure that the sight remains safe and free from snow and ice during the winter months.
They are responsible for all of the gardening work on the site, as well as at the Fulbourn Hospital laundry with the exception of grass-cutting and weed-spraying. This includes hedge-trimming and pruning as well as planning, costing and planting the flowerbeds and hanging baskets – a task currently undertaken by two of the team’s younger members who are studying for a landscaping and horticulture qualification. It is very important for the team to ensure that members are always being trained and are keeping their skills up to date. In addition, the
The Golden Jubilee garden
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gardeners are all qualified to use agricultural machinery. One of the best places to admire the team’s hard work is the Jubilee Garden near the Lewin Stroke Unit which gives patients and visitors such pleasure and is a real oasis of calm in the middle of such a busy hospital. The team work alongside volunteers to ensure the upkeep of this peaceful area.
In addition to their gardening duties the team are responsible for all of the external cleaning at the hospital with the exception of around the main doorways.
Before new buildings are constructed on the site it is the gardening team who are responsible for re-siting any plants which would otherwise be lost. Keeping the environment clean, tidy and presentable is no mean feat with the number of construction projects and contractors on the site at present!
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