From this… 
To this.
What was an underused space with a plain concrete wall, is now a vibrant outdoor therapy area at the new Plym Neuro Rehabilitation Unit in Plymouth.
The multi-million-pound facility is for people recovering from life-changing brain and spinal cord injuries. The modernised ward at the Mount Gould Local Care Centre opened in December 2024. 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.
Physiotherapist 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.”
Patient June watched the artwork be completed from the ward and is 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.
Patient June
“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.
“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.”
Spray Saint
It took Devon artist the Spray Saint eight days to complete.
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.
Project Manager – Di Brimacombe
“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.
“When you see patients use this space and see them grow into their development, it is emotional. It really gets me that what started out as a big empty footprint is now this beautiful unit where people come in and their lives get changed.”
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.
