Volunteers dig in for green vision at Paisley's hospital

More than 60 volunteers gathered at the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) in Paisley to help transform green space and fulfil the dream of the site's founding father.

- TAYLOR MURRAY

The project was inspired by one of the ambitions of the hospital's designers, the late Ian Plenderleath.

The volunteers - made up of staff past and present, families and friends - planted 300 native trees.

Among the participants was Tommy MacDonald, the son of RAH staff member Chris MacDonald, who celebrated his seventh birthday by planting his own tree.

The majority of the saplings, supplied by the NHS Forest initiative, were planted along the “glass corridor” that links many clinical and staff areas while others were planted on grassed areas around the hospital grounds.

As they mature, the trees will be visible from throughout the hospital - in particular, the planting along the glass corridor which is overlooked by a number of wards.