Woodford Gardens at Waitakere Hospital Kia Ora The Woodford Gardens at Waitakere Hospital in West Auckland provides people who have experienced mental ill health with work experience and training through growing and selling produce on a ½ organic garden and shop at Waitakere Hospital While we are working on a number new and existing programmes, the Woodford Gardens exemplifies our intentions to maximising efficiency and minimising harm as an organisation. William Van Ausdal – Sustainability Manager Facilities and Development

GGHH Agenda Goals – Organic Gardens This programme also aligns with our focus areas: of Waste minimisation, and Sustainable Procurement, as well as serving our main purpose to deliver the best care for everyone. It also supports GGHH agenda goals such as prioritising environmental health, substituting harmful chemicals via organic production, reducing waste via composting, producing and serving sustainably grown food, and promoting safer and more sustainable products. LEADERSHIP: Prioritize environmental health CHEMICALS: Substitute harmful chemicals with safer alternatives WASTE: Reduce, treat and safely dispose of waste FOOD: Purchase and serve sustainably grown, healthy food PURCHASING: Buy safer and more sustainable products and materials

Benefits Human health benefit: mental and physical health and well-being Environmental benefit: organically grown, reducing waste though compost production Financial benefits: income used to pay the participants allowance and transport costs Nutrition benefits: provide participants and staff with vegetables and eggs While the Woodford Gardens was established a number of years ago, its on-going strategy to provide those who have experienced mental ill health with opportunities for training and personal growth. This is achieved by being easily accessible for participants and overcome issues related to physical stamina, concentration and work readiness. Inter related benefits include… Human health benefit: mental and physical health and well-being Environmental benefit: organically grown, reducing waste though compost production Financial benefits: income used to pay the participants allowance and transport costs Nutrition benefits: provide participants and staff with vegetables and eggs

Further opportunities Become certified as organic On-site composting from hospital cafeterias Produce served in hospital cafe The nature and practice of sustainability is very complex, and dynamic. Traditional and reductionist approaches have shown their inability to effectively address sustainability issues. Our challenges related to sustainability require a fresh approach to address the multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary nature. The Woodford Gardens is a perfect case study of how a programme can effectively deliver multiple benefits, if it is capable of widening its scope and able to evolve. The very act of identifying and leveraging existing opportunities within our organisations is key aspect to supporting a sustainable healthcare system. As you know, many of us work in a financially constrained environment and our tasks are monumental, so leveraging past work and current activities, whether in development of new buildings, programmes or projects is as important, if not more important than building sustainable programming from the ground up.

Sustainability Manager William Van Ausdal Sustainability Manager Thank you!