A PROJECT which brings man and nature together is helping elderly patients gain more from life and their surroundings.

The Joint Therapeutic Programme is a partnership between hospital staff and Bolton Age Concern to brighten up the lives of some of the most vulnerable and frail people.

Hospital staff and Age Concern volunteer George Swetman have created a tranquil haven around J block at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

A multitude of plants, a greenhouse, sensory garden and water feature encourage patients to develop in peaceful surroundings.

Funding for the project has been provided by the WRVS, the Mayor's Charity, Bolton Medical Fund and J1 ward volunteers.

Much of the behind the scenes work has been done by staff in the elderly medical directorate and the hospital's gardening team.

Together under the guidance of Age Concern volunteer George Swetman they have worked together to create an oasis of tranquillity for patients from J1 and Belmont Day Hospital.

George , 72, from Stoneclough is a lifelong keen gardener who, twice a week gives up his spare time to encourage patients and day patients to tend and nurture the plants and gardens surrounding J block.

Eventually he and the members of staff involved in the project hope it will become self-financing and already there are high hopes of selling plants they have cultivated from seed.

But the project isn't simply about growing plants. Patients have been actively encouraged to play a part in the garden's development and can be seen pricking out and potting plants.

TV gardener Jeff Turner paid tribute to all those who have played their part in making the dream of a garden become a reality, when he officially opened the prohject on Wednesday.

And after planting a birch tree, Jeff buried a time capsule containing photographs chronicling the history of the horticultural project, a bag containing lavender from the sensory garden and seeds.

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