Our Trainee Pharmacists Dig Deep for the Residents of Sunnyhill Care Home

Our Trainee Pharmacists Dig Deep for the Residents of Sunnyhill Care Home

Six Boots UK Pre-registration Pharmacists swapped prescriptions for plants this weekend at Sunnyhill Care home in Eastbourne to build two new raised flower beds for its residents.

As part of a community healthy living project for their training, the team of Trainee Pharmacists, normally based in our pharmacies across the South East, contacted local care homes to better understand how they can provide for their more senior patients living in the local community. Together with Sunnyhill, they did their research and found that one great way to help the residents to feel good would be through providing accessible and stimulating outdoor space, especially as many residents said they would love to get back into gardening.

The Trainee Pharmacist team dug deep and together with Sunnyhill and local garden centres, they created two new raised beds which are easily accessible for all the residents to enjoy in the home’s private garden. One of the beds features an array of flowers and the other will develop to be a fully functioning vegetable patch, with residents having chosen what they would like to grow.

Eustine Hanna, Trainee Pharmacist, based at our Boots store in Eastbourne Sovereign Harbour, comments: “Caring for our local community is hugely important to the whole team of Trainee Pharmacists in Eastbourne, and we were proud to have the opportunity to use our skills and experience to support Sunnyhill’s residents in a somewhat unconventional way! Seeing the local community come together to support the project is inspiring, and we really hope to encourage even more people to get involved and help provide even better care for our senior residents.”

Gardening can relieve stress, burn fat, tone up muscles and help protect against heart disease. At Sunnyhill, the team of Trainee Pharmacists hope to bring happiness and some extra energy to the residents, and also provide an additional stimulating experience through gardening; providing a variety of interesting sights and textures.

Throughout the day, the Trainee Pharmacists not only spent time shoveling soil and sowing seeds, but also spent time with the residents, building relationships and learning more about how they can support the residents’ health and well-being needs. Afternoon tea was served with some sweet treats while they awaited the big reveal. The team also put together seed care packages so the residents can continue to enjoy the flower beds in the future with the help of the Site Manager, Lester.

Eustine, continues: “We would like to thank Chalk Farm Nursery and Stone Cross Garden Centre for their generous donations and gardening advice. We would also like to thank local carpenter Anthony South for his support to construct the framework for the raised beds.”