Volunteers from the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI) have helped plant 120 native trees in the hospital grounds, marking the latest step in a major programme to improve biodiversity and create greener, healthier spaces across UHMBT sites.
Community volunteers joined members of the Integrated Community Stroke Therapy Team to plant a mix of alder, dog willow, hawthorn, willow and bird cherry on the banking in front of Medical Unit 2 at the RLI. The new trees will provide important habitat and food for pollinators, as well as berries for birds later in the year.
The work was supported by Natural England and delivered in partnership with ‘The Bay: A Blueprint for Recovery’, with trees supplied through the national NHS Forest initiative.
David Chandler, Team Administrator for the Integrated Community Stroke Team in Lancaster who was one of the volunteers, said: “All of the volunteers were delighted to support this important project. It is wonderful to be part of something that will benefit wildlife, brighten the hospital environment and help create an uplifting space for patients, visitors, the public and colleagues.
“One of the volunteers was Emelia Hall, who is a Business T-Level student, currently on placement at UHMBT from Lancaster and Morecambe College. There can't be many T-Level students who come on a placement with our Admin Team and end up planting trees!”
The planting session follows a major wildflower planting day in September 2025, delivered under Lancaster City Council’s Community Wings Project – Together for Butterflies. The team planted wildflower plugs across grassland areas at the RLI, donated by the Arnside and Silverdale National Landscape.
These improvements form part of a wider collaboration between Natural England and the NHS to make hospital sites greener, boost biodiversity and support the wellbeing of patients, colleagues, visitors and the public by enhancing their local environment.
Across the Trust, the programme has already made significant progress. In addition to the RLI planting, recent works at Westmorland General Hospital in Barrow and Furness General Hospital in Kendal have brought the total number of trees planted across UHMBT sites to 620.
The tree planting was supported by volunteers from The Bay: A Blueprint for Recovery, who shared updates from the day on social media.
The activity at the RLI also strengthens the network of partners involved in Lancaster’s Community Wings – Together for Butterflies project, delivered alongside Eden Project Morecambe. The project aims to enhance and monitor habitats for butterflies, moths and other pollinators across the district through community involvement, volunteer training and species recording.
Project partners include Butterfly Conservation, Eden Project Morecambe, Lancaster City Council, Natural England, Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions (LDCVS), Lancaster District Greenspaces, Arnside and Silverdale National Landscape, Lancaster University, Friends Groups and the NHS.
Natural England is also planning a major ‘bioblitz’ across all participating NHS sites this summer, bringing together volunteers, colleagues and community groups to record wildlife and measure the growing impact of this landscapes cale programme.
More details will be shared through Trust communications channels closer to the time.