Contract Manager Susan and Executive Account Manager Chloe dedicated a day to revitalising the communal garden space around the brain injury unit at Musgrave Hospital in Belfast. For Susan, this marked the second corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity she had been involved in this year.

The enclosed garden space is designed to promote wellbeing and provides an area for patients to stroll around or take a seat and enjoy the fresh outdoor air. It also serves as a quiet spot for families and friends to sit together during visits.

What prompted your decision to do gardening for your CSR activity?

We had done something very similar with the team in London earlier in the year, which had been an amazing day for everyone involved. It was such a rewarding experience that when I saw an opportunity to help out at Musgrave Hospital, I had to seize it!

Tell us about the day. How did it go?

Chloe and I helped to refresh the communal garden of Musgrave Hospital’s brain injury unit. We began with some weeding and flower bed maintenance, but a large part of the day was spent painting the garden furniture and fences to help freshen up the space. It took a fair few coats and a lot of patience, but when we’d finished, it was lovely to take a step back and see the noticeable difference we’d made.

After we wrapped up for the day, the hospital coordinator warmly thanked us for all our hard work and proudly gave us a tour of the rest of the garden. She was genuinely impressed by how much we’d accomplished in just one day and extended a lovely invitation for us to return next year. And to top it all off - we were incredibly lucky with the weather!

Do you feel the CSR day was a good bonding experience?

I visit Northern Ireland quite often, and while my trips are usually packed with work, it’s always a pleasure to meet up with Chloe face-to-face. We had a great day chatting and catching up while painting. It’s such a different experience to engage with colleagues outside of email, or a phone or video call, and especially so when you’re doing something so out of the norm.

We had a lot of great conversations with the hospital team too, who were really supportive and made sure we had plenty of teas and coffees!

This was your second CSR day of 2025. How have you found the experience overall?

The experience has just been incredibly meaningful to me, far more than I could have imagined. It’s so rewarding to do something positive that goes beyond the work we do on a daily basis.

The CSR days I’ve been a part of have had a lot of similarities, but it goes to show how even the simplest of actions can be an uplifting experience. It’s not just about the things we’ve done, it’s about what it means to the patients and healthcare professionals. That’s what I’ll take away and be proud of.