Great Places has partnered with Oldham College students to transform communal spaces at Oak and Beech House, key worker accommodation located within the grounds of The Royal Oldham Hospital.
Oak and Beech House provide 52 single rooms with shared lounges, kitchens and bathrooms, offering temporary accommodation for NHS staff, including doctors and nurses from overseas. While a £1.8 million refurbishment programme completed has modernised both buildings and improved external areas, the communal lounges were still lacking a homely feel.
To address this, students were commissioned to design artwork for 15 lounges across both buildings. The brief focused on creating bright, welcoming designs that reflected Oak and Beech House and incorporated NHS themes — without being medically focused — allowing residents to relax away from their working environment.
The project not only enhanced the living experience for residents but also provided students with valuable real-world experience, working to a professional brief from concept through to completion.
Leanne Keane, Community Partnership Manager at Great Places, said:
It’s been a delight to be involved in this project. Oldham College have been enthusiastic from the start, and we’re proud to have given students the opportunity to work on a live commission that supports their learning, builds confidence and develops skills for the future. We hope this partnership continues to grow.
Lisa Quigley, Keyworker Co‑ordinator at Great Places, added:
Working with Oldham College has been a fantastic experience, and we’re delighted with the quality of artwork the students have produced. They should be proud of their contribution and the hard work that went into creating these pieces. We look forward to new residents seeing their work in our communal lounges.
Student Shaun, from Oldham College, added:
It was really nice today to see where the doctors live, and I’m really happy my work gets to be displayed and hopefully brightens their day.
Coral, Youth Worker at Oldham College, said:
While this project has supported our learners in developing their skills, it was also really special for them to work to a brief and ultimately see their hard work valued. We really appreciate this opportunity and can’t wait to work with Great Places again.
Peter Rawsthorne (Senior Liaison Mental Health Practitioner) who is one of the residents at Oak and Beech House said:
The people who stay in Oak and Beech House all work in healthcare, and will often return home tired, stressed, and sometimes upset by what they’ve seen or heard that day. I can’t thank the young and talented artists enough for ensuring that we will now get our “daily dose” of art to help calm our minds and settle our spirits. A wonderful diversity of work; from enlivening use of colour that captures your attention, to intriguing collages that provoke thought and distraction. I pray the students keep working hard and keep on producing such accomplished pieces.
The completed artwork has helped create warmer, more inviting communal spaces, demonstrating the positive impact of collaboration between housing, healthcare and education.
