Alex Bowen has officially opened a new outdoor courtyard at Martin House Children's Hospice, inspired by the famous villa from Love Island.
The idea came from teenagers supported by the hospice in Boston Spa, who asked for a "Love Island-style" outdoor space while helping to design The Lodge, Martin House's newly refurbished teenage wing.
The new courtyard features outdoor kitchen seating, festoon lighting and a firepit chillout area, giving young people with life-shortening conditions a place to socialise, relax and enjoy greater independence during their stays.
Alex, joined by his son Abel, officially opened the courtyard by cutting the ribbon at a special launch event on Saturday.
The teenagers who helped shape the design were also invited along and each received a personalised Love Island-style water bottle.
Alex and his wife, Olivia Buckland, met on the second series of Love Island in 2016 and remain the longest-lasting couple from the UK version of the programme.
Speaking after opening the courtyard, Alex said:
“I feel like I’m at home - it's very Love Island-esque! It’s got beanbags, just like the ones where I first met and spoke to Liv.
"The firepit certainly brought back memories of the villa. I kept expecting people to say they need to pull me aside for a chat!
“The courtyard lets teenagers be teenagers again. They get to experience so many things through Martin House, and I feel like it’s such important work to do.
“From the sensory rooms to the new pool they’ve had installed, they really go above and beyond here. Abel (Alex’s son) has been running around the outdoor park and absolutely loved it.”
The Lodge has been created as part of The BUILD, Martin House's £21.9 million redevelopment project to help safeguard the future of children's palliative care across Yorkshire.
Alongside the new courtyard, the teenage wing includes a recording studio, an interactive sensory area and a gaming zone with accessible controls.
Martin House supports more than 550 children and young people with life-shortening conditions, and their families, across North, East and West Yorkshire each year.
Vicki Greensmith, Director of Clinical Services at Martin House, said:
“We were incredibly excited to welcome Alex to Martin House.
"Throughout the design process, we worked closely with the teenagers who use our hospice to understand what was important to them, and a Love Island-style courtyard quickly became one of the most popular ideas.
“For many young people, Martin House is a home away from home. The Lodge gives them the freedom to simply be teenagers – whether that’s spending time with friends, recording music, gaming, or relaxing around the firepit.
"It was wonderful to introduce Alex to some of the young people whose ideas helped bring the courtyard to life and show him the difference spaces like this can make.”
To find out more about Martin House or support its work, visit Martin House Children's Hospice.
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