£5,000 donation to Bassetlaw and Doncaster hospitals' Rainbow Garden Appeal

The Rainbow Garden Appeal has been given £5,000 by mechanical engineering firm MechFS.

Two gardens will be created, one at Bassetlaw Hospital where work has begun on a design by Worksop company JP Fox landscaping. The other garden will be developed at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

The gardens will be a tribute to the 232 people who have lost their lives to Covid-19 at the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, including two colleagues Kevin Smith and Dr Medhat Atalla. They will be places where families and colleagues can reflect and remember.

Paul Sutherland, chief executive officer of MechFS, said: “When we heard about the Rainbow Garden Appeal, we didn’t hesitate in offering a donation. As we all face these challenging times, especially those who are experiencing the loss of colleagues, friends and loved ones, the idea of creating a calm and peaceful place to remember those who have been lost, is something we were very keen to support. The MechFS team continues to be inspired by the dedication and bravery demonstrated by all of those working within the NHS and we hope the Rainbow Gardens can provide some comfort in memory of those colleagues and patients that have lost their lives”.

MechFS also supported the t rust during the height of the pandemic ensuring staff benefitted from hot meals during their shifts and paid for the ‘Big Yellow Bus’ to come onsite to provide a whopping 8,000 meals during a three-week period.

Paul Haslam, consultant o rthopaedic s urgeon and friend of both Kevin Smith and Dr Atalla, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Paul and Natalie Sutherland for their continued support which benefits both our colleagues and local families.

"Getting outside and enjoying a garden can have such a positive impact on our health and wellbeing and there has never been a more important time to look after our colleagues who are working tirelessly in the fight against coronavirus.”