What was the project brief?
Rotherham General Hospital in Rotherham, Yorkshire decided to add four shade sails to its wellbeing garden so that staff could enjoy their breaks outdoors, no matter the season or weather. The team wanted the shelters to be subtle additions to the space that would increase its welcoming atmosphere, and be able to protect anyone relaxing or using the gym equipment from rain, sun and wind. They got in touch with A&S Landscape and worked together to source the perfect canopy.

What was their shade sail solution?
Following talks about the possible options, Rotherham General Hospital chose the Maxima Sail™ as the model they wanted to have installed. This product stood out to them due to its versatility; it’s available in an unlimited number of colours, configurations and shapes. Three 6000mm X 6000mm Maxima Sail™ structures on four uprights were added to the facility, as well as one 4000mm X 4000mm version on four uprights. The highly durable fabric roofs would easily withstand bad weather or sun and allow hard-working hospital staff to always have the option to fit fresh air into their day – whether they wanted to exercise or take some quiet time for themselves. What’s more, the Light Grey steelwork and Moss Green roofs created an appealing and unobtrusive colour scheme.

What was the result of the canopies?
The shelters were well-received at Rotherham General Hospital; staff now have an undercover space where they can take a breather or enjoy using the outdoor gym equipment, throughout the year. This will be greatly beneficial to their mental and physical health, following what can be stressful and difficult work. The shade sails look fantastic in the wellbeing garden with their dynamic designs, and they have given everyone a much-needed boost. A&S Landscape was pleased to hear that the canopies are being so well-used and would love to work with the hospital again in the future.

About the client
Rotherham General Hospital is a hospital with over 370 beds that provides a variety of services, including surgical, paediatric and obstetric. It boasts many modern facilities, from a Cardiac Catheterisation Suite and a Theatre Assessment Unit to a Stroke Unit. It also has a Medical Education Centre with an extensive Medical Library, and the site acts as a base for Post and Undergraduate Education for Sheffield University. A&S Landscape thoroughly enjoyed working with the dedicated hospital team and hope that the shade sails benefit their wellbeing for years to come.

The site is located in Rotherham, a large town in South Yorkshire. The county is renowned for its beautiful scenery, charming market towns, and cities boasting essential industrial heritage. Bustling Leeds and York have galleries, museums and retail therapy in abundance, while the Yorkshire Dales have plenty to offer walkers and cyclists with their stunning rivers, meadows and limestone peaks. Local people like the workers at Rotherham General Hospital certainly live in a wonderful part of the country.

What types of healthcare sites can make use of shelters?
Hospitals aren’t the only kind of healthcare facility that can benefit from installing a canopy, although they may be one of the most obvious. They are complex sites with hundreds of staff working at any time in many different departments, and therefore need to include extensive facilities for break times – such as dining canopies, which allow people to eat meals outside in all seasons. Covered walkway systems are a great addition to medical centres with multiple buildings, because they create undercover connections across the site and protect patients from the elements when walking outdoors.

Also, ambulance shelters can be used at various healthcare facilities where vehicles might need to drop off or pick up patients. Care homes aim to create increasingly welcoming environments for their residents and workers, so they can benefit from a colourful entrance canopy to improve their architecture or a sun shade outside to brighten up a relaxation area. Shelters can make life easier for patients, visitors and staff alike at healthcare sites, and A&S Landscape is proud to have supplied products to many of them in the past. Contact now by emailing sales@aandslandscape.com to discuss starting your project – A&S Landscape can’t wait to hear from you.

How can you see some of the company’s previous work?
If you want to get a better idea of the visual impact of their canopies and how they really look in situ, head over to the gallery. There you can browse a fantastic selection of images of their past projects – everything from a fun outdoor classroom shelter to a classic cycle store. Then, give A&S Landscape a call on 01743 444100 and they’ll help you to make your canopy vision a reality.