Nightingale Hammerson has a long history of providing high-quality residential care in our homes, Nightingale House in Clapham and Hammerson House, Wohl Campus in Hampstead. The outstanding care provided enriches the quality of life for our residents, aged between 69 and 106.
At the core of this exceptional care lies the dedication of individuals such as Philip White, Head Gardener at Nightingale House, whose commitment recently earned him the Compassion Award at the 2024 Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards. Phil was recognised for his compassion which goes above and beyond the role he holds within the charity.
Accomplishment and purpose
Phil has been working at Nightingale Hammerson for 14 years. For the past six years, he has held the role of Head Gardener at Nightingale House, a home for older members of the Jewish community in Clapham, South-West London.
Phil has planted a plethora of fruit trees ranging from apples and pears to quince, which feed the bees and provide fruit for the home. Residents and children alike enjoy collecting and tasting the fruit. Phil is also proud of the fishpond with its koi carp which provides a weekly feeding activity for the nursery school children. ‘The garden is a joy. I love planting new things and showing the residents and the children how to enjoy nature,’ Phil commented.
As Head Gardener at Nightingale House, Phil is responsible for developing the gardening therapy programme operating in both Nightingale Hammerson homes. He plays an integral role in enhancing residents’ lives. Gardening therapy sessions help reduce pain, lower stress levels, awaken the senses and enable residents to experience the joys of nature. Planting new blooms and harvesting fruit and vegetables are transferrable skills for other tasks our residents may struggle with.
Activities include digging and preparing the soil for flowers or trimming plants and shrubs. This helps to improve strength, flexibility and balance. Whether it is the daily watering of plants or allowing our residents to choose and grow their own fruit and vegetables, they experience a sense of accomplishment and purpose from these activities. Watching the fish in our ponds and collecting honey from our beehives brings them great joy. For those with dementia, gardening therapy gives them the opportunity to get outside in the fresh air and experience the joy of nature.
Connection to nature
Phil has been instrumental in organising intergenerational activities with residents and the children of the on-site nursery – Apples and Honey, Nightingale. Weekly gardening activities with Phil encourage an interest in gardening, appreciation of herbs and understanding of how to plant beautiful flowers. As part of a lockdown project for residents and children, Phil introduced bees to the beautiful gardens. ‘I wanted to ensure the children understood that honey comes from bees and not from Tesco,’ Phil commented.
Spinning of the honey occurs twice a year. Residents and children all take part in the activities; they spin the honey and pour it into jars. The pure honey is used for tastings, religious festivals and the remainder is sold to fund the project.
Sensory garden therapy is especially beneficial for those with sensory impairments. Through nurturing plants, residents engage in meaningful physical activity and experience a profound sense of purpose and connection to nature. The garden becomes a sanctuary where they can immerse themselves in smells, textures and sounds. Through the therapeutic act of gardening, residents often experience a reduction in stress levels, and a renewed zest for life.
A poem of gratitude and appreciation
For residents like Colette, who is visually impaired, Phil’s gardening sessions are a lifeline. Colette is an avid traveller and used to spend many months travelling abroad. Through thoughtful recordings of the sea and waterfalls on his travels, Phil reminds Colette of the joy she used to experience from nature. They would talk about the recordings and reminisce over the wonderful experiences she enjoyed before she lost her sight. These recordings evoke memories but also serve as a source of comfort during challenging moments.
Last year Phil went to Fuerteventura on holiday. He was walking on the beach on a windy day with the waves crashing around him when Colette messaged to say she was missing him, and the garden was missing him too. He decided to record the sounds of the sea and the wind to share with her.
Before a recent medical procedure, Colette told Phil of her fear of the MRI machine, how the sounds were magnified for her and how her lack of sight made the whole experience more powerful and frightening. She decided to listen to his latest recording. Whilst laying there with the whirring of the machine around her and calmed by the sounds of the waves, Colette composed a poem of gratitude and appreciation to Phil for his commitment and dedication to the garden and to the residents of Nightingale House.
‘I have never seen the Garden or Phil, the gardener, but as I say in my poem, the gardener is a burst of laughter that resonates in my heart. He brings the garden alive for me, so I can smell, hear and see it,’ Colette commented.
As if a burst of light illuminating my world.
The magical world of the garden, an oasis of peace.
A joy generated by the scent of flowers.
That of the song of the water in the pond.
The pond where protected fish sleep in cool waters.
That of bees buzzing around, pollinating.
That of birds singing in the aviary.
Philip the genie of the enchanted garden.
The one who makes everything happen.
Who watches the figs maturing in the sunshine.
The garden, a kingdom of beauty and tranquillity.
Where time lingers.
Thank you Philip, for gifting us your precious garden.
Transformative power of compassion
When Phil collected his award, he spoke about the beautiful relationship he has developed with Colette. Through smell, touch and with his voice descriptions, Colette can still enjoy the beauty of the gardens. Nature has always been important to Colette and Phil helps keep the beauty of nature alive for her. ‘The smile that stretches across Colette’s face when I cut something fresh for her or give her fruit straight from the garden brightens my day,’ Phil commented.
In response to Phil’s award win, Chief Executive at Nightingale Hammerson, Jenny Pattinson, said, ‘Phil’s recognition is a testament to the transformative power of compassionate care. The difference Phil makes to the lives of residents is incredible and goes well above and beyond his role looking after our beautiful gardens.’
Gardening therapy is invaluable for all residents, whether they have dementia, are visually impaired or experiencing feelings of loneliness. Nature’s ability to tackle loneliness and feel joy is priceless. The heart-warming story of Phil and Colette reminds us of the transformative power of compassion and the healing power of nature.
Save the date for the 2025 Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards – Friday 14th March 2025. For more information, visit CMM’s dedicated website.
Amanda Weinberg is a published author. She also works in the fundraising and marketing department at Nightingale Hammerson.
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