27 June 2024

In an inspiring gesture of gratitude to our outstanding Allied Health teams, Caitlyn Green, Associate Director of Allied Health, and Steven Wells from Garden and Grounds, have collaborated to relaunch ‘Vases of Appreciation’ (VoA).

This unique initiative, which was originally established by Steven during the pandemic, involves creating and delivering beautiful vases of foliage, sourced from Austin Health’s very own gardens, to recognise and thank Allied Health teams for their dedication and hard work.

Last week marked the first distribution of these stunning vases to various nominees, including the Acute OT team, Spinal Outreach Service team, and Radiation Therapists. The teams were also given a printed sheet with the details of who and why they were nominated, allowing them to read the lovely words of thanks.

What makes this concept unique is the involvement of the nominators in the entire process. Staff members can nominate a department or team using a form, and are then invited to join Caitlyn and Steven in the gardens to help harvest and arrange the foliage for the vases. The nominator then personally delivers the VoA to their chosen department/team.

This wonderful initiative brings a number of benefits to our workplace:

• It is a meaningful and engaging experience for all involved
• The process fosters interaction among staff from different departments
• It encourages staff to utilise the garden spaces
• It is cost-effective, utilising materials from our gardens and existing vases.

A big thank you to Caitlyn and Steven for organising this thoughtful and innovative project that brings a touch of nature, and a lot of gratitude, to our hardworking Allied Health teams.