The North West Regional Spinal Injuries Centre was delighted to welcome Horatio’s Garden to its specialist rehabilitation centre as part of a gruelling charity cycle challenge.
Based at Southport and Formby District General Hospital, the centre is one of eight in England and has been rehabilitating people with spinal cord injuries and helping them live their lives to the fullest since 1947.
Horatio’s Garden is a charity that creates and cares for beautiful gardens in NHS spinal injury centres across the UK, and is named after Horatio Chapple, who was tragically killed on an expedition to Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic, aged 17.
A team of five, which includes Horatio’s brother, Titus Chapple, Toby Morgan-Grenville, a former patient at The Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre in Salisbury, along with Horatio Chapple’s best friend Robin Butler, Olivia Caplan and Mortimer McKechnie are taking on the mammoth challenge of cycling to all 11 NHS spinal injury centres in the UK.
The epic journey covers nearly 1,100 miles, which the team will complete over 11 consecutive days. The team’s aim is to highlight the specialist needs of patients with spinal cord injuries and the centres of excellence where they are cared for.
On Friday 29 July, the team visited Southport hospital and were greeted by staff, including Anne-Marie Stretch, Managing Director of Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, and current patients, where they were treated to a tea party and a tour of the centre, ahead of the next part of their journey.
The North West Regional Spinal Injuries Centre cares for both adults and children and provides individualised care plans to meet the needs of the patient, helping to prepare them to live as independently as possible when they are discharged.
Southport and Ormskirk NHS Hospital Trust Managing Director Anne-Marie Stretch said: “We were delighted to welcome the Horatio’s Garden team to our spinal injuries centre as part of their fantastic efforts to raise awareness for patients with spinal cord injuries.
“Our dedicated staff provide excellent care to help patients rehabilitate in our care and we are proud to be a centre of excellence.”
The charity plans to establish a Horatio’s Garden at all 11 NHS spinal injury centres, including at Southport hospital.
Titus Chapple, son of the founders of Horatio’s Garden charity, said: “I am so proud of what my parents have achieved in memory of my brother Horatio. The cycle challenge is a big undertaking, but I am delighted to be taking part to help raise funds for future Horatio’s Gardens across the country, giving more people living with spinal injury access to these beautiful sanctuaries. I know Horatio will be watching our backs and encouraging us all the way.”
To support the 11-day Horatio’s Cycle challenge, please visit www.horatiosgarden.org.uk/horatioscycle and follow their journey on Instagram at @horatioscycle.