Safe and Sensory Garden Transformation in Swindon for 8-Year-Old Oscar with Complex Medical Needs Thanks to The Openwork Foundation and WellChild
A remarkable garden makeover has transformed the outdoor space of eight-year-old Oscar’s home in Swindon, creating a safe, accessible, and sensory environment tailored to his needs.
This ambitious project was powered by The Openwork Foundation and coordinated by WellChild, the national charity for seriously ill children.
The transformation, part of WellChild’s Helping Hands programme, took place over two days on 20th and 21st May 2025 in collaboration with the The Openwork Partnership and their charitable foundation who not only funded the project, but provided teams of volunteers to complete the works. The project aimed to give Oscar, who lives with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and a visual impairment, an outdoor space where he can play safely with his twin sister and thrive at home with his family.
“Working with WellChild to create a new garden for Oscar and his family lies at the heart of the Openwork Foundation. Making a difference is our mantra and getting stuck in, literally with our pick axes and hand tools in this case, meant together we built a better place for Oscar and his family. Our thanks to the WellChild team and we look forward to finding more ways to support those in our communities.”
Matt James, WellChild CEO, said:
“The WellChild Helping Hands programme is only possible thanks to the support of amazing partners like Openwork and The Openwork Foundation, and for that we are incredibly grateful. It’s not just about the funding they provide, it’s the people-power too, helping to make truly remarkable transformations like this possible for children with complex medical needs across the UK.
Their support enables families like Oscar's to truly thrive at home and create precious moments and memories together."
"We're so pleased that we can now get outside into the garden, as a family, and enjoy the space together. The team from Openwork were fantastic - it's amazing what can be done in just a couple of days when people come together. It's going to make a huge difference for us."
Get Involved
WellChild’s Helping Hands programme delivers around 25 garden and home transformation projects each year, improving the lives of children and young people with complex medical needs by making their living environments safer and more accessible.
WellChild welcomes support from individuals and businesses who want to make a difference. Whether through volunteering, donations, or spreading the word, every contribution helps create safer, more inclusive spaces for children like Oscar.
