STAFF at Taunton’s Musgrove Park Hospital can enjoy the good life thanks to new staff allotments.

The allotments were opened at the hospital to allow staff to grow fruit and vegetables on their breaks, helping them to relax and help boost the hospital’s green credentials.

The gardeners are all part of Musgrove's Green Team, a group of staff working to: switch it off, shut it down and save it.

Steven Power, senior project manager, said: “We all need a healthy, sustainable environment to live in.

“This means doing the big things like making sure our new buildings are energy efficient and sustainable but also the little things that make an enormous difference.”

Alison Clewes, Environment Manager at Musgrove said: “By next summer we anticipate a burgeoning variety of vegetables, flowers and other manner of vegetation, which will hopefully encourage bees and butterflies to the site.”

The allotments were opened by Giles Biggs and Richard Griffiths of Viridor, who donated 20 bags of compost to the allotment growers.

Mrs Clewes added: “I would like to express my thanks on behalf of the allotment growers to Viridor for supplying us with compost. If any other local businesses want to be involved or can help staff to get their gardens growing please let us know.”

As part of the opening, staff took part in a scarecrow competition, which was won by the Breast Care Team for their scarecrow Barbra.

PICTURED, from left, are: Karen Smith, Caroline Paull, Zoe Goldthorpe, Trisha Luxton and Anne Ratsey from the Breast Care Centre at Musgrove and Giles Biggs and Richard Griffiths from Viridor. PHOTO: Submitted.