The links between green plants and mental wellbeing are firmly established in fact, and we have written extensively about the effectiveness of plants in easing stress, improving concentration and reducing anxiety.
These effects are dramatically evident in the workplace, and again we have written lots of articles about the science of Biophilia, presenteeism and mental wellbeing at work.
Because we deal almost exclusively in the design and maintenance of living plant arrangements, we rarely have an opportunity to speak about artificial plants.
A recent request however, had us reaching for our contacts in the world of artificial displays, and the results could not have been happier when the wonderful people at Staying Well Crawley, a mental health crisis prevention service, were pointed in our direction as they opened their brand new centre in Crawley as a joint venture with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
The service provides emergency and planned support for adults throughout the area and we were delighted to offer our support by supplying striking artificial plants in complementary coloured planters.
The ground floor space is freshly decorated and feels bright and airy with windows on three sides with venetian blinds to provide privacy whether day or night. Chon Donnelly, Operations Manager at Richmond Fellowship, the charity in charge of the development of the crisis prevention service in Crawley is in no doubt of the effect that the displays are already having. “We wanted to create an environment, particularly for first time visitors to a crisis prevention service, which would encourage people not to feel segregated, to have an impression of being in a place that they would visit at any other point in their lives and avoid an ‘institutional’ atmosphere.
We have used the plants to create different zones within what may have otherwise been quite an overwhelmingly large and impersonal space.
I, for one, am extremely grateful to Green Team Interiors for providing us with such statement plants in tall and elegant contemporary planters. The plants create a more personal and welcoming space, less of a clinical or dreary look that people sometimes might expect!”
Jason Collins, Service Manager of the Staying Well Crawley added, “Staff, visiting Mental Health professionals and clients have all commented on the soothing positive environment the plants have created as a workplace for the staff and a feeling of well being for the clients. The layout and flow of the plants enables clients to use different areas of the layout to choose to sit alone or with staff and reflect and discuss how they are feeling. The overall opinion is that the plants give the service a feeling of privacy in different spaces where the clients can breathe and relax.”
We would like to thank Jason, Chon and all of their colleagues for the outstanding work that they do on behalf of others and wish good luck to everyone at the Richmond Fellowship and Staying Well Crawley, that we were able to help, even in some small way is a genuine privilege.
Website : www.richmondfellowship.org.uk/crawleystayingwell
Telephone : General enquiries: 07920 387 274 (available 9-5pm Mon-Fri)
Email : CrawleyStayingWell@RichmondFellowship.org.uk
Facebook : @CrawleyStayingWell
Open : 5pm-11pm Mon to Fri and 3pm-11pm weekends and bank holidays, 365 days a year,
Address : Arundel House, Unit 1 – Ground Floor, Amberley Court, Whitworth Road, Crawley West Sussex, RH11 7XL