Ground Control installs tranquility garden for new armed services veterans centre

• Tranquil outdoor space created at new veteran’s centre in North Shields
• Revitalised space transformed for staff and residents 
• Walking With The Wounded project continues Ground Control’s support of veterans

Ground Control, the UK’s leading supplier of award-winning landscaping and maintenance services, has created a tranquil outdoor space at a newly established veterans’ centre in North Shields.

The nationally renowned veterans’ charity ‘Walking With The Wounded’ today opened its new North East Regional Service Hub, which contains ten, two-bedroom flats for residents as well as offering welfare and employability support.

Part of the project involved revamping a 30m x 20m moss-covered and concreted back yard into a tranquillity garden, offering a place of retreat and comfort, for the veterans and staff based at the site.

To maximise the limited amount of space available, the 10-day project involved laying 15 tons of topsoil, planting 130 trees and plants, building three benched seating areas and a bird table as well as creating raised bedded garden areas for residents to grow their own herbs.

“The Ground Control team has been phenomenal. WWTW’s new Hub will provide vital support services to the local armed forces community,” said Tommy Watson, WWTW North East Regional Manager. “The design of the Hub’s tranquillity garden will give our staff and beneficiaries a quiet and calm place to go when they need it. It will make a huge difference to their mental health”. 

Ground Control is a proud supporter of the Armed Forces Covenant and employs many veterans from various sectors of the Armed Forces. Jay Hicks, Ground Control’s National Operations Manager for Winter Maintenance and an armed forces veteran himself, enthusiastically took the lead on the project.

“We are very pleased to be able to support such a worthwhile charity and project which will help armed forces veterans find their feet after serving their country so valiantly,” said Simon Morrish, Ground Control CEO. 

“I hope the transformation of the outdoor space at the new hub will give everyone who uses it the time and space they need to recuperate and find their next steps.”

A huge thanks to David Fontana for taking the lead on managing work on site and all of the other volunteers involved in installing the new garden.