Friends and family of Frank Gray, former Chairman of the Local Community Liaison Group for the East Riding Community Hospital, gathered recently at the new Hospital to formally dedicate the garden in Frank’s memory.
Frank had given his time generously to chair the Liaison Group until his death in 2011. Tributes were paid to Frank’s expertise in chairing the Group and his championing of the community hospital scheme within the Beverley community by the former NHS East Riding of Yorkshire Hospital Project team.
Frank’s wife Pat Gray said: “Frank had the vision for a Quiet Garden at the Minster offices, so the suggestion by the Hospital Liaison Group to allow a garden area in his memory is very apt. This garden area was chosen adjacent to the Day Room because Frank always wanted to be among people. Sometimes a hospital Day Room can be a rather tense area, where difficult news has to be digested.
Frank’s close friend from his schooldays Mick Barlow kindly offered his guidance and expertise, to help Pat decide on suitable plants to grow on a north facing aspect and helped to plant the area up. The Project team arranged for trellis and a small brass plaque.
Pat continued: “There is little to see just now, but we can look forward to the year round pleasure for patients, visitors and staff, from the Garyaliptica shrubs with their silver tassels, to daffodils, spring cyclamen, Wisteria, clematis and honeysuckle, roses and then autumn cyclamen.
“It has been a privilege to be closely involved with the project and we were well looked after by community hospital staff while we were busy preparing the garden.”
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The formal dedication of the garden was carried out by Hospital Chaplain, Revd John Beynon in December 2012.
