Richard Batson

Hospital Friends help with goodies and garden gear – agm report

1st July 2021 by Richard Batson

Garden improvements, goodies for staff in lockdown, and a mural to brighten up a brick wall were among the “extras” provided for North Walsham hospital by its Friends group during a tough Covid-hit year.

The volunteer charity group supports the town’s War Memorial Hospital by providing a range of equipment and treats bought with money given by public donations.

Some routine events such as Christmas carol singing and present-giving were put on ice during lockdown, but patients still received gifts, and hard-working staff doing long shifts in full PPE were bought weekly goodie parcels of snacks and drinks to boost morale.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Covid goody parcels — Friends chairman Keith Jarvis delivering another batch of goody parcels to staff during lockdown

Chairman Keith Jarvis said: “Our thoughts have been with the staff working in difficult conditions and we hope our goodies helped keep their spirits high.”

One scheme that was Covid-proof was the addition of a piece of stunning wall art by mural artist Sophie Cane – which now brightens up a brick wall outlook from a ward and corridor.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital mural by Sophie Cane — Sophie Cane adding the finishing touches to the mural.

And with lockdown easing the Friends have bought wheelbarrows and compost to help volunteer gardeners smarten up the gardens near the patio. They are also providing garden furniture and picnic benches where patients, visitors and staff can sit and enjoy the grounds.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital volunteer gardeners — Friends chairman Keith Jarvis (centre) with volunteers Morag Neeld and Ian Lovick

The Friends’ work was outlined at an annual general meeting which covered two years due to the pandemic lockdown.

Over the year the Friends spent £5842 and received £22,044 in donations and legacies, including a £10,000 gift from former local librarian Beryl Coston, for equipment which the committee is currently liaising with the health authority over.

Plans for the future include an overnight stay room for visitors, improvements to the Wild Flower Meadow, and to reuse a window and cross saved from a demolished hospital chapel as a feature in the grounds.

The Friends are also keen to increase their membership and find new committee members.

Keith added: “The hospital has played a major part in town life. People were born there, and family members and friends have been cared for there. It is holds a place in the community’s heart, but we would like more people who have an affinity with it to come forward and help the Friends make improvements there for current patients, visitors and staff.”

To find out more about the Friends’ work and how to get involved please click here or follow our Facebook group page.

Can you join the garden volunteers team?

11th June 2021 by Richard Batson

Green fingered volunteers are helping make things rosier at North Walsham hospital’s garden.

A new group is giving spare time to prune, weed and generally tidy the grounds of the War Memorial Hospital off Yarmouth Road.

They are keen to recruit more helpers, and are using tools and gardening materials bought by the hospital Friends group.

This week the gardening gang launched into action smartening up the beds around the patio area, where patients, visitors and staff sit to relax.

Hospital Friends chairman Keith Jarvis said: “We are delighted to see the volunteers working on the garden, where we are also funding new benches and picnic tables. The gardens are a lovely place to sit away from the ward, and where staff can enjoy a well-earned break outside.”

The Friends have bought wheelbarrows and compost for the helpers, who are a mix of local people and Aviva co-workers carrying out a corporate community project. The Norfolk Community and Health Care Trust, which runs the North Walsham unit, has also bought garden tools from its charity fund to help the project.

Volunteer co-ordinator Wendy Bryant explained: “We were all set up to launch this in April – then lockdown happened. So now we are getting the group off the ground for the first time, and they are already making a difference.”

She appealed for any other keen gardeners to join the hospital team. They can either drop in on their own, or work with volunteer colleagues. Anyone interested should contact wendy.bryant@nchc.nhs.uk

Friends committee starts working on latest projects

26th May 2021 by Richard Batson

It’s been seven months – but the Friends committee is back in face-to-face action.

We have held our first meeting since early November and are raring to go with lots of ideas to improve life for the hospital’s patients, staff and visitors.

Not that we have been idle during our half year in lockdown. We have been keeping in contact via phone and Zoom, and kept up our support through schemes as diverse as goodie parcels for the hard-working staff to an uplifting mural outside one of the wards.

We are now looking into upgrading the garden furniture to help people enjoy sitting in the grounds either as visitors or staff taking a well-earned break.

Also on our agenda is improving the Wild Flower Meadow on the left hand side of the driveway, resurrecting plans for a visitors’ overnight room that was put on ice during the pandemic, and talking to health trust chiefs about how best to spend a family legacy.

It was good to welcome to our meeting Carol Plunkett the charity development and project manager for the Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust, and we look forward to working with her. She was even greeted by a family of small deer in the grounds!

We will update you on our projects on this page in the coming months. For more information on the work of the Friends, and to find out how you can support us, please click here.

Young artist’s mural turns hospital brick wall into a wildlife wonderland

30th March 2021 by Richard Batson

A dull brick wall at the hospital has been transformed into an idyllic rural river scene by a talented young artist.

Sophie Cane’s mural is brightening the outlook for patients, staff and visitors.

But her biggest work yet will also help launch her art career having just been awarded a Master’s degree with merit in communication design from the Norwich University of the Arts, following an earlier BA in illustration.

The 8ft by 6ft picture shows water, woodland, and flowers, with cut-out creatures from a kingfisher and heron to butterflies and bees, added to literally add another dimension.

It has been mounted on a plain brick wall at the hospital where the Friends responded to staff pleas to improve the boring view. The Friends appealed for local artists and chose Sophie, 23, from Litcham near Dereham, who has spent countless hours on the project since finishing her degree.

She said: “Before the latest lockdown I drove around the area and took pictures of places so the work reflected the local countryside. The water is based on Ebridge Mill, but I also went to Captain’s Pond at Westwick and Little London.

“It has been a challenge – because it is by far the biggest piece I have ever done, but I am really pleased with it, and hopes it shows that my work can by scaled up to give a big impact.”

Sophie did the work in the paint shop of her gunstock maker dad Gary, using acrylic vinyl scenery paint on marine plywood. She is hoping to find work doing murals, or larger scale art – in contrast to the smaller nature-themed jewellery and pet portraits she sells online at Etsy.

Hospital Friends chairman Keith Jarvis said: “We are delighted with the mural Sophie has done for us. It really brings a piece of local countryside into the hospital, and is much more pleasant to look at than bricks and mortar.

“Sophie approached the project with energy and enthusiasm, and if it helps showcase her talent to kick-start her art career that will be a bonus.”

The Friends paid for the mural project using their funds which come from public donations and legacies which provide “extras” at the hospital. They have also included weekly goody parcels to boost the morale of staff working long shifts in full protective gear during the Covid crisis.

See more of Sophie’s work at www.sophiecaneillustration.com

We wish her well in her career.

Supermarket gift helps hospital staff goody drops finale

11th March 2021 by Richard Batson

Local supermarket Sainsbury’s have helped the Friends round off a series of morale-boosting goody parcels to hospital staff.

The Friends have been delivering food, drink and treats to hospital staff to help them through long and arduous shifts at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

Now hospital cases are reducing, and North Walsham is no longer the main Norfolk community hospital for recovering Covid patients, the parcels have been wound down.

But not before Sainsbury’s supported the effort with a donation of vouchers, which helped buy food and coffee for the parcels.

The vouchers were part of a range of donations which Sainsbury’s gave to support local causes and charities whose fundraising and community work had been hit by the Covid crisis. (Felicity Christian from the store is pictured with the vouchers.)

The parcels have cost the Friends £2500, using money donated by the public towards our aims of supporting the staff and patients with “extras” the health authorities cannot afford or which would have to wait to come to the top of a hard-pressed spending list.

Friends chairman Keith Jarvis (pictured on an earlier goody run) said: “We know the weekly drops have been appreciated by the staff, and we are grateful for Sainsbury’s donation to help with them.

“We will now be talking to health officials and staff about reviving the wish list of schemes for the future.

“But we could not carry out our work without the funds donated by the community from private individuals to big companies.”

Hospital Friends help with goodies and garden gear – agm report

Can you join the garden volunteers team?

Friends committee starts working on latest projects

Young artist’s mural turns hospital brick wall into a wildlife wonderland

Supermarket gift helps hospital staff goody drops finale

Chairman

Secretary

Treasurer