A new home for unwanted equipment from Tannersbrook ward

The new wing at the Western Community Hospital has been designed with sustainability in mind, and though many will think about construction elements it goes for demolition too.

The old Tannersbrook ward had stood unused for some time before the project began, complete with fridges in the medication room. Much of the equipment was new and had nowhere to go, until a conversation between estates colleagues Dave Brown, Operations Manager, and Helen Moody, Locality Manager, kickstarted a brilliant idea.

Pickles Coppice is a children’s centre in Millbrook that provides a range of family support services provided by Solent NHS Trust and Southampton City Council. The main kitchen is well-used, and hosts sessions that involve teaching parents to cook fresh, nutritionally balanced meals for their families, and staff cooking hot meals for families in need.

The kitchen facilities were functional but in need of some love and thanks to Dave and Helen almost everything has been replaced or upgraded. New fridges, a dishwasher, cupboards and counter tops have given the room a new lease of life.

Helen said, “I think it’s important to reuse and recycle things wherever we can and when I learned that the old medication room was going to be demolished I knew we’d be able to find a purpose for all the equipment inside.

“The Pickles Coppice kitchen sees so many staff and local families using it week after week that it’s important for us to provide good facilities. The goods have brightened up the kitchen and mean that people can have a nicer experience when they come here, which is so important for the communities we support.”