Care England Article – MEMBER  SPOTLIGHT – Simon Whalley

Birtley House has a long history going back to at least the 12th century. It occupies a sheltered spot right on the northern boundary of the Weald and surrounded by the greensand hills of the Surrey Hills National Landscape. Although the site is busy with many different activities, there is sufficient space and cover for many species of animals and birds to breed successfully, and it is connected to areas that have a continuity of good habitat (and mindful owners) that help foster the sense that it is a very special place.

As a nursing home, Birtley House has always had a strong engagement with community. This has included significant investment in environmental performance. However, with net zero as the national target and regulations emerging that will significantly impact all business activities, there will be more action required in future years.

A summary of specific actions we have undertaken in this field and recognitions gained is therefore a useful starting point. The management of our beautiful and species-rich area of several habitats in 48 acres has always been important. This was emphasised in the survey undertaken by the Surrey Wildlife Trust in 2008. This survey recorded an unusually broad range of species across the spectrum of plants, insects, birds, and mammals including some rarities and produced a management plan which has been followed as far as possible.

Supporting residents, staff, and visitors

The woodland is managed in accordance with the Forestry Commission’s Grant Scheme and includes regular coppicing and removal of invasive non-native species. Current work in adding new hedges in the parkland and gardens has been funded by the Funding in Protected Landscapes programme and further work in woodland pond restoration has also been completed, with plans for improving access for residents and visitors in the pipeline.

The gardens and grounds are extensively used by the residents, staff, and visitors to the care home and also provide opportunity for young people with learning difficulties to develop new skills and find mindful relaxation in the grounds. The most active user is the Halow Project which brings more than 100 people per month to work, especially in the kitchen garden where the project has won several awards from Guildford in Bloom. We also have a Gold Medal for Wildlife Gardening from the Surrey Wildlife Trust.

Ongoing improvements

Birtley has never been on the main drainage system, but we replaced our sewage treatment plant with a reedbed system some 50 years ago and this has added a new habitat to the environment as well as reducing energy consumption. Reed buntings and water shrews have colonised this area and it even attracted a bittern once!

The buildings on the property have roof insulation but further work is required to install more double glazing and other improvements in the main house and annex. A wood-fuelled heating system was installed in 2007 and upgraded in 2014 to meet the new requirements. Gas heating has remained as back up, as with all nursing care, warmth and hot water are essential for health and safety. The business also won an environmental award from Surrey County Council in 2019. Plans for the introduction of extensive solar panels are also being prepared.

Collaborating in the community

Community engagement has continued to grow with leadership of the county setting up (and subsequently chairing) Surrey Hills Enterprises CIC to support the rural economy and improve commercial understanding and collaboration in environmental management. We also work with Surrey Care Association in developing new models of care – with quality of life given stronger emphasis for the sector, both locally and nationally. In addition, the grounds have been made available for a range of activities which encourage better understanding of the social and wellness benefits of outdoor activity.

“The gardens and grounds are extensively used by the residents, staff, and visitors to the care home.”

The organisations providing these experiences include the following

• Guildford Beekeepers who do all their outdoor training at Birtley with the honey also sold through Birtley House.
• Simon Keeley – one of the best stone sculptors in the country – runs regular courses.
• Hedges and Hurdles runs courses involving wood carving, pyrography, willow weaving, wreath-making, and outdoor yoga. It also runs Open Studios events and seasonal art fairs. Working with the Halow Project, it also coppices our willow trees for stems which it uses for willow weaving courses.
• Surrey Hills Forest School runs woodland pre-school, toddler groups, and holiday clubs.
• Roar Outdoor supports young people with various health issues.
• Forest Bathing Institute runs mindfulness courses in the woodlands as do Roots for the Future, Joyful Outdoors, and Spirit of the Woodlands.
• The Vikings Group provides bushcraft and adventure courses.
• Back on Track provides outdoor exercise hikes with mindfulness themes.
• Firewood logs, locally made charcoal, and a wood sawmill on site also utilise Birtley coppice and wood produce.
• A 700-tree cider apple orchard adds further environmental benefits, and the cider is then distilled into a unique apple brandy sold under the Old English name for Birtley – Beorc Leah – meaning a clearing in the birch woods.

This community engagement has also led to many outdoor charity events and exhibitions including the hosting of the Surrey Hills Wood Fair for several years before it outgrew our site and moved to Cranleigh Showground. We also run an annual sculpture garden exhibition which is a great opportunity to get lots of people out into the beautiful Birtley grounds and give our residents and their families a special treat. After a temporary halt due to COVID-19, the exhibition is now booked for summer 2027.

Preserving the environment

We also undertake specific conservation work and have had many bird boxes in the estate provided by local bird clubs and a number of bat boxes donated by a former resident of the care home. There are numerous trees planted in memory of former residents by families who felt that Birtley had been their loved one’s real home in their later years. We must have planted well over 1,000 trees on the property over my lifetime plus several hundred coppice stools cut and managed in rotation and some 600 metres of hedging.

“The issue of sustainability also spreads into cost management and marketing.”

The ponds in the garden and woods and the lake in the parkland were all created to add habitat and are well populated with aquatic species including thousands of tadpoles each spring. The grasslands in the park are also developing a good range of wildflower species and the 500-year-old oak tree there also has an ant species living on it that has not been seen in Surrey since the 1970s. Even the main lawn in front of the house has a Red Data Book species of Chamomile called Chamomile Nobile, which was planted in lawns in Elizabethan times for its scent when walked on or crushed. To help residents and visitors link to the importance of varied habitats and peaceful surroundings, we have prepared a tree guide and a Birtley birds leaflet – recording all the species we have identified here in over 70 years of operating – and similar information sheets for mammals are also being prepared.

Creating local networks

Our connections to local community and collaboration with other businesses with similar concerns have also expanded in recent years. We continue to seek out potential groups from our local churches and schools; from like-minded individuals and charities whose clients can benefit from our peaceful environment together with our business ‘buddies’ who work with our community groups to grow and manage our gardens and natural environments to the benefit of us all. We find this approach helps give support to staff, whose mental health is important to us, and we also have recruited employees from the charities we work with. All of this helps create an environment which is ‘homely’ and peaceful for our residents and engages their families too. Community, collaboration, and continuity are the three words that challenge us to constantly seek improvement.

Financial considerations

The issue of sustainability also spreads into cost management and marketing. Birtley’s location is a disadvantage for access but compensates for this with its peaceful surroundings. These reduce the reliance on NHS facilities and create better quality of life for residents, which in turn reduces the impact of many illnesses. We also find that the maintenance of the grounds benefits from the income (and physical input) of those working in the woods and gardens. We are continuing to seek ways of reducing waste.

All in all, we feel that our commitments to community and environment and our unique family management model, which has lasted some 93 years, is a strong example for our sector and hope that others may feel encouraged to follow this path.