Transforming Outdoor Spaces
The Jess Mackie Music Garden
Thought to be the only one of its kind in the UK, the Jess Mackie Music Garden is a vibrant, interactive outdoor space at Edinburgh’s children’s hospital where children and young people can enjoy creative play, music making and fresh air away from the wards.
It features five large (and loud!) musical instruments – the Congas, Tembos, Rainbow Trio Chimes, Harmony Bells and Marimba; as well as curving pathways ideal for scooting and grassy play areas.
This multisensory space was funded by the Jess Mackie Memorial Fund (JMMF), a tribute fund of ECHC which is held by the Mackie family in loving memory of their daughter Jess who passed away in 2018 aged 14.
An outdoor performance space
When Covid restrictions allow, the music garden will also be used as an outdoor performance space, where our visiting musicians and artists will perform and run music making workshops with children and young people all year round.
A huge thank you to Percussion Play for providing the stunning, free-standing instruments which are filling the hospital with such joyful sounds.
We are enormously grateful to the incredible Mackie family, their friends and supporters for funding the music garden and other therapeutic music projects within the hospital.
Music gives children a means of expressing themselves, making friends and building confidence. Jess knew this and would have loved to know she was a part of making this happen.
Mike Mackie, Jess’ dad
