Lancashire Teaching Hospitals staff received an early present ahead of the NHS’ 75^th birthday, with the reopening of Charters Restaurant at Royal Preston Hospital.

Improvements at Charters Restaurant have been made possible by funding of £70,000 from Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity team and a £65,000 grant application from NHS Charities Together, which enabled the procurement of furnishings and a new 24-hour kitchenette facility. A further £4,900 was used to provide new conservatory blinds and the iconic mural.

Offering a bright, modern and welcoming space, which includes a dedicated area where hospital staff can relax and have food and drink morning and lunchtime whilst on shift; providing a much-needed area during what is a pressurised time across the NHS as a whole.

The need for the project was outlined during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a workforce-led staff engagement campaign, staff Governor suggestions and an Executive-led project team to improve the health and wellbeing of staff. The new space now follows NHSE guidance on the practical and emotional support that should be available to staff, including having a safe space to rest and recuperate to manage and process the physical and psychological demands of work.

The refreshed restaurant space, which has seating for around 230 people, also connects directly to a new garden area which includes a beautifully hand-crafted steel memorial tree where names of those who have donated organs are engraved onto leaves.

Trust Chief Executive, Kevin McGee, was delighted to see the end product. He said: “A massive thank you to the Charity, whose help and support made the refurbishment possible, and thank you to the architects and builders for working so hard to finish the job within the shortest possible timescale.

“The well-being of our staff is a top priority, so it’s great to see the fabulous food offering from our catering team both here and in other outlets across our hospitals.”

The new space also includes a bespoke mural designed by local artist, David Robinson from DaveRob Design, who was commissioned to create a striking montage of the city’s landmarks, famous people, and characters. The mural was also endorsed by Preston-born Nick Park, who was thrilled to give permission to include one of his most famous creations, Wallace and Gromit, as a thank-you to NHS staff for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The mural also includes many more of Preston’s most famous faces and landmarks, with depictions of Preston North End legend Sir Tom Finney, the Guild Wheel, and the iconic clock at the brutalist Preston Bus Station – showing the time set at 20:00 as a mark of respect to colleagues, signifying when the ‘Clap for Carers’ took place during the pandemic.

Head of Charities, Paula Wilson, said: “The charity is thrilled to be able to support colleagues with this wonderful new dining area, and what a fabulous NHS75 birthday present for everyone. The real icing on the cake for me is the mural and the fact that Nick Park, himself, was thrilled to be asked to contribute. I was very proud to see it at the opening, it really is beautiful and gives colleagues the relaxing recreation area they deserve!”

A special thank you goes out to everyone who supported this project whether it be through direct involvement or charitable donations, to hear more from the supporter of this project, click the link below to our news section…