Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has secured more than £440,000 in external funding to support projects that reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency and create healthier environments for patients, visitors and staff.
The funding will support initiatives across several sites, including the creation of therapeutic green space, upgrades to electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, and improvements in how we monitor and reduce energy use.

Creating greener spaces for wellbeing

Following a successful grant application, Berkshire Healthcare Charity received £135,000 from NHS Charities Together’s Greener Communities Fund. The funding will be used to develop a new Nature Trail and wellbeing garden at Prospect Park Hospital.

The project will create accessible green space within a clinical setting, helping more people benefit from time outdoors. Access to nature is strongly linked to improved mental health and wellbeing, and the new space will support recovery and provide a calming environment for patients, visitors and colleagues.

This builds on wider work to enhance outdoor spaces across our sites – often with support from Berkshire Healthcare Charity and local volunteers – including the Therapy Garden at West Berkshire Community Hospital, the Forget Me Not Garden at Prospect Park Hospital, the Phoenix Unit and Church Hill House gardens at Wokingham Community Hospital, and the wellbeing garden at Upton Hospital.

Supporting the shift to low-carbon travel

We have secured £64,000 through the Department for Transport’s Chargepoint Accelerator scheme to upgrade and expand EV charging infrastructure across our sites.

This will contribute to a larger project of replacing, upgrading and expanding our EV infrastructure for our fleet and for staff as part of our Travel and Transport strategy, which aims to reduce travel-related emissions.

Smarter energy use

At West Berkshire Community Hospital, £61,000 has been awarded to install smart submetering technology.

This will provide detailed insight into how energy is used across the site, helping us identify where improvements will have the greatest impact. By targeting areas of highest consumption, we can reduce waste, lower emissions, and make better use of resources.

The funding forms part of a wider £2.4 million national investment through the NHS Centralised Energy Purchasing Agreement (CEPA), NHS England and Crown Commercial Services.

Improving efficiency with LED upgrades

West Berkshire Community Hospital has also benefitted from £184,000 of works to upgrade lighting to energy-efficient LED technology, as part of a wider £74 million government investment to support decarbonisation across public sector estates.

The switch to LED lighting has recently been completed and will reduce electricity use, cut carbon emissions and improve lighting quality throughout the hospital.

Work on the other projects will also begin throughout 2026.
Commenting on the funding, Kate Townsend, Sustainability Lead Manager for Berkshire Healthcare, said:

“We are grateful to receive funding in the three areas of energy reduction, EV infrastructure, and nature and biodiversity as these are priority areas within our Green Plan. Importantly, they will benefit our patients, staff and the community, whilst reducing our negative impact on the environment – the fundamental principles of sustainable healthcare.”

Paul Gray, Chief Financial Officer and Green Group Lead for Berkshire Healthcare commented:

“These projects are an important step in delivering our Green Plan and supporting the NHS ambition to reach net zero. In addition to minimising our environmental impacts, they will help create healthier environments whilst saving costs that can be directed back into patient care.”

Our three-year Green Plan sets out clear, measurable steps to cut emissions and drive sustainability across our services.