WATCH: Murals have transformed space for those with brain injuries
The murals can help patients with their recoveries
The new 'Plym Neuro Rehabilitation Unit' in Plymouth now a vibrant outdoor therapy area thanks to Devon self-taught mural painter ' SpraySaint'
It took the artist eight days to transform the former underused space and plain concrete wall - which is part of a million-pound facility for people recovering from life-changing brain and spinal cord injuries.
Patient June watched the artwork being completed from her ward and was one of the first people to use the space to practice walking.
She said: “I have been having amazing therapy, and I just feel so lucky that my brain bleed happened so close to this hospital because it is a wonderful facility.
“It is really helpful to have something to look at and know how far you are going by the measurements that have been pointed out with the animals and birds on the wall. Patient June
“You can look at it from the ward and have that as something to aim for, to be able to get outside. It is beautiful and something nowhere else has.”
The modernised ward at the Mount Gould Local Care Centre opened in December 2024 - when the unit moved from another area of the site where multi-disciplinary teams from Livewell Southwest have been supporting people after a traumatic injury or surgery from across Devon and Cornwall for nearly twenty years.
The aim of the rehabilitation process is to support a return to independent living. The new ward encourages patients to move around with greater ease, helping to rebuild their cognitive and motor skills under the expert guidance of specialist therapists.
It now features this new outdoor space featuring the 30m mural where patients can continue their rehab with Physiotherapists like Zara.
She said: “We treat people who have had brain injuries or spinal cord injuries. That is not only going to affect their movement, but their thinking skills and their language skills. It can also affect people's vision. So, sometimes people might not be as aware of one side of their vision. If we have got something for them to scan and look at, that would be an important part of rehab, to encourage them to scan to find things.
“Some of our patients might not have left the ward for weeks or months. It is really important for them to be able to get outside, and this is a good place to come first, where it is nice and flat. Then as people progress, we can go to more challenging environments, like going up and down hills.”
Di Brimacombe has been the Project Manager for the entire build of the new development and refreshing the outside therapy space.
Di helped make the connection with Spray Saint. She recalls: “We were looking to change what was just a concrete, boring wall and then the idea came out to contact one of the many local artists.
“We tried to replicate the view from the former Plym Neuro Rehab Unit and include animals and birds typically seen on the river Plym. With our ideas, mixed with the Spray Saint’s creative talents, this is the result which is amazing."
The redevelopment of the unit was funded by Community Health Partnerships and the mural was made possible due to funding from Equitix. The company works with building project partners ReSound Ltd and GB Partnerships.