A Lewisham children's centre has a new sensory garden to provide a relaxing space for children receiving treatment.

Kaleidoscope's garden was officially opened on Friday, July 28 by Dr Tony O’Sullivan, a key figure in the creation of the centre, which provides services for children and young people with special health, education, mental health or social needs.

Kaleidoscope’s occupational therapy team, led by Alison Royle, created the garden themselves, transforming a drab courtyard into a bright, safe and comforting place for children and their families.

Alison applied to Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust’s Charitable Funds for funding, and the work involved commissioning an outdoor painting of a rural scene, researching the best type of artificial grass, drilling in chalk boards, mirrors and a canopy sail, constructing outdoor furniture, painting walls and buying and planting all the plants and hanging baskets.

Alison said: “The original concrete space was a dull and underused courtyard. On one occasion we had a fire drill and had to escort some of the children and their families into the courtyard, and that’s when I had the idea for a sensory garden – a nice, welcoming space to take the children when they need to calm down, or for when parents have received some upsetting news.

“The occupational therapy team used their creativity to create sensory calming activities for the children. For example, there are “look and see” quizzes, a touching trail – which includes getting to know our AstroTurf flock of sheep – and a game using the herb baskets to help the children explore and enjoy different scents. There is also a rocking bench and shaded areas to sit and relax.

“The project also really helped our team – we very sadly lost a colleague to cancer recently, and working on the garden gave us something really positive to focus on together. The space will also be enjoyed by our staff, who sometimes need to clear their heads and take a break.”

Guest of honour at the opening was Dr Tony O’Sullivan, former Divisional Director for Children’s and Young People Services, now retired, whose hard work and vision over the last decade helped to get Kaleidoscope built, and developed it into the organisation it is today.

Tony planted a tree in the garden and said: “It’s wonderful to see the hard work and dedication the team have put in to create this beautiful space. I’m sure it will bring a lot of happiness to the children, their families and our staff.”