News

As the Bank Holiday sunshine approaches, children and young people at the Beacon Centre now have a newly redeveloped therapeutic garden to relax, recharge and spend time outdoors. While it may not rival the Chelsea Flower Show, this co-designed space, shaped by service users and North London NHS Foundation Trust’s coproduction team, is already making a real impact.

Using a one-off capital investment of £160,000 to fund the landscaping and hard works, the Beacon Garden project had a simple but ambitious aim: to create a space that would be safe, welcoming and genuinely supportive of recovery, a place where our young people can spend time outdoors, regulate, connect and heal.

Crucially, this has been a co-produced project from the outset. Young people, staff and the coproduction team worked together to shape the design, sharing ideas, exploring what would feel safe and enjoyable, and helping to create a space that reflects their interests and aspirations. That sense of ownership has been a defining feature of the project.

Speaking at the formal opening of the facility last month, NLFT Chief Executive Jinjer Kandola said:

“We know that outdoor activity can have a significant positive impact on people’s lives, so it’s great to see the space that our young people can now enjoy. It’s somewhere they can come out, be around the sensory plants, which will continue to grow, and have the option to play some football or just enjoy the outdoors.

“The Trust team who delivered this project showed creativity and tenacity, and their work with our contractors, partners in the provider collaborative, and most importantly, with our service users themselves, has flourished into a facility which will continue to develop and thrive through the seasons, and be shaped further by our young people and staff.”

Managing Director of the NLFT care group, which includes children and young people’s services, Prosper Mafu said:

“The timing of this work could not be better. With summer just around the corner, completing the garden now means young people will have safe access to the outdoors at a time when daylight, warmth and fresh air can make a real difference to mood and recovery.

“The new football pitch adds another important dimension. With the World Cup taking place this summer, it offers a positive, shared focus, an opportunity for physical activity, recovery and enjoyment, all within a safe and therapeutic setting.

“What we see now is more than a redesigned garden. It is a significantly improved experience for young people: safer access to outdoor space, opportunities for healthy activity and an environment that supports recovery rather than restricts it. It’s a powerful example of how listening, acting quickly and investing at the right moment can make a real difference.”