Northern Hospital in Epping has put up a Christmas display in its main foyer made entirely from recycled material.
Northern Health staff member Larni Koutsofrigas said she used mostly recycled polystyrene from packaging and boxes to create the winter wonderland theme.
“It is one of the best products to use, it’s a lightweight material and easy to hang… and it’s sustainable,” Ms Koutsofrigas said.
Ms Koutsofrigas said a team of engineers and other hospital workers spent hours helping her with the project.
“I couldn’t have done it without my elves … we stayed back until one in the morning to install the decorations,” she said.
Ms Koutsofrigas said she is happy to see that the display is making staff, visitors and patients happy.
“People who are not feeling well come here, so it’s nice that this puts a smile on their face to feel a bit better.”
Ms Koutsofrigas said she started on the project two months ago, spending hours a few days after work cutting out the material to create festive designs.
“It takes time, I tried to squeeze it in where I could… it’s a form of therapy for me.”
Northern Health public affairs executive director Pina Di Donato said the Christmas display is a gift.
“People have told me, ‘you’ve really stepped it up this year’, ‘in 30 years we’ve never seen anything like it’,” Ms Di Donato said.
Ms Di Donato said visitors have been leaving gold-coin donations in a miniature ice-rink at the front of the display.
“We collected $55 this morning, on the first night there was a $10 note.”
Ms Di Donato said the display is one of the hospital’s many sustainability projects which include donating second-hand equipment overseas and reupholstering old chairs.
“We save what we can and we are very sustainable.
“It doesn’t matter the level, title or department we all work together to get things done.”
