Friends of North Walsham War Memorial Hospital

That’s what Friends are for

  • Home Page
    • That’s what Friends are for
    • Social media links
    • Join the Friends
  • Our Role
    • The Friends’ role
    • Gifts summary and gallery
  • How To Help
    • Donations
    • Legacies
    • Fundraising
    • Join the Friends
    • Contacts
    • Volunteers
  • News
  • Hospital History
    • The hospital today
    • North Walsham Hospital History Links
  • Photo Gallery
  • Constitution

Friends’ festive treats for hospital patients and staff

23rd December 2020 by Richard Batson

They’ve been! Hospital Friends have made their traditional visit to hand over festive gifts to patients and staff.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Friends 2020 Christmas gifts
Keith and Zana Jarvis with some of the Friends’ festive gifts for patients.

 

But due to Covid restrictions things were a different this year. We normally visit the ward and hand over the presents personally to those being cared for, and the staff looking after them.

This time we had to do a “doorstep delivery” and leave staff to safely distribute the treats which include puzzle books, chocolates, biscuits, shower gels and soap.

And we also left hampers for the staff – both those on the ward, which is now dealing entirely with recovering Covid patients, and rest of the hospital, which continues to do out-patient clinics.

Friends chairman Keith Jarvis said: “We are missing not meeting the patients this year, which is always a rewarding and poignant highlight of the year.

“But it was more important that the presents were delivered so that those unfortunate enough to be spending Christmas in a hospital bed know that people, other than their families, are thinking of them.”

And this year the staff were more deserving than ever of the hampers after long shifts working in full PPE.

Ward sister Kerry Howarth said: “The patients always enjoy the Friends’ gifts, but this year even more so because they cannot have any visitors due to Covid.

“The staff are also working extra hours, so the hampers are a real morale booster.”

The Friends were also unable to provide the annual carol singing visit by the Broadland Youth Choir this year, but hope that by next Christmas their festive visits will be back to normal.

We are continuing to support the staff through the testing times of the pandemic with weekly goodie parcels to boost their morale. But we can only buy such “extras” thanks to the support of public donations.

To find out more about the Friends and how to support us please explore this website. 

Filed Under: Donations, Fundraising Tagged With: North Walsham Hospital Friends

Sophie chosen for hospital wall art project

8th December 2020 by Richard Batson

Young artist Sophie Cane has designs on a hospital wall that will make the view better for patients.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital mural artist Sophie Cane
Mural artist Sophie Cane

The 23-year-old has been chosen by the Friends of North Walsham War Memorial Hospital to create a colourful mural to brighten up a plain brick wall outside a ward window. She was selected from more than 20 artists who showed interest in the project following an appeal by the Friends.

Art student Sophie from Litcham near East Dereham is finishing her Masters degree at Norwich University of the Arts having already graduated with a BA in illustration.

Sophie is a former pupil at Litcham High School, and initially did a BTec in art and design at the College of West Anglia in King’s Lynn.

She said: “I am looking forward to starting this exciting project as soon as my Masters is complete this month. It will feature a nature theme, because it helps with wellbeing and will draw on local features such as rivers, meadows and kingfishers which I am researching.”

Sophie has done “public” work before including a sign for sheep milking at Bircham Windmill near King’s Lynn, as well as an academic project to design animal shaped waymarkers for Pensthorpe nature park.

She has also worked with the Broads Authority on desktop designs for a revamp of Acle station including a community garden which won a Royal Society of Arts design award last year.

Sophie Cane mural artist

A kingfisher by Sophie Cane

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital mural artist

Wildflower meadow artwork by Sophie Cane.

Sophie will paint the 8ft wide by 6ft tall mural in her studio over winter ready for installation in the spring.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital wall mural project

The bare wall that Sophie’s mural will transform.

Friends chairman Keith Jarvis said: ”We are delighted to be working with Sophie on this project. She was among 20 entries that followed our appeal for artists to help. We were impressed with her ideas and enthusiasm and also hope it will help Sophie as she embarks on her career in the art world.”

For updates on the project follow the Friends’ Facebook page and this website.

Explore Sophie’s work on her website 

Filed Under: Community Tagged With: art, mural, North Walsham Hospital Friends

Second wave of Friends food parcels for hospital staff

19th November 2020 by Richard Batson

Lockdown 2 has seen a revival of weekly “goody parcels” for hard-working ward staff at North Walsham War Memorial Hospital.

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

Boxes of fruit, snacks and drinks are being delivered to the unit each Wednesday by the hospital Friends group to help feed the nursing and ancillary staff, and boost their morale.

Feedback from staff is that they are very grateful for the treats, whose arrival is something they look forward to during weeks where the workload continues to be very hard with staff doing 12-hour shifts in full anti-Covid protective equipment.

During the first lockdown the Friends provide 15 weeks’ worth of parcels for a cost of around £1500 – using money donated by the public to further the aims of the Friends, which is to provide extras for patients, staff and visitors.

Friends chairman Keith Jarvis said this week: “When the second lockdown started it seemed right to resume the service, because we know it is appreciated by the staff who are doing a terrific job in difficult conditions.“

North Walsham War Memorial is now the main community hospital in Norfolk dealing with Covid-19 patients needing extra nursing after discharge from the county’s three acute units in Norwich, Gorleston and King’s Lynn.

Several of the Friends’ other ongoing projects are on ice due to the pandemic, including planning the normal Christmas carol singing visit by the Broadland Youth Choir. But we are still aiming to provide our usual Christmas gifts for patients and hampers for staff – without the usual in-hospital handovers.

 

Filed Under: Donations, Fundraising Tagged With: #covid-19, North Walsham Hospital Friends, North Walsham War Memorial Hospital lockdown good parcels for staff

Help hospital Friends when you shop online

16th November 2020 by Richard Batson

Online shopping is a growing part of our lives – and you can now use it to help grow the hospital Friends funds too.

We have linked up with Amazon Smile, which automatically generates money for the Friends as you shop – if you flag us up as your chosen charity.

All you need to do is set up your Amazon account to the Smile version. Then, every time you buy, 0.5pc of the net purchase price (ex VAT, returns and shipping fees) comes our way.

It doesn’t sound a lot – but it all helps – and since August this year the scheme has netted more than £4.5m for UK charities.

So if you are now gearing up your Christmas shopping, please think about entering The Friends Of North Walsham War Memorial Hospital as your chosen cause – and please spread the word and tell your circle of friends too.

It will make us, and more importantly the patients and staff at our hospital, SMILE.

Find out more at https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/chpf/about/ref=smi_se_rspo_laas_aas

 

Filed Under: Fundraising Tagged With: Amazon Smile, North Walsham Hospital Friends

Scaled down but poignant Armistice Day 2020

11th November 2020 by Richard Batson

Our community hospital dedicated to soldiers lost in battle held a small Armistice Day service in their honour.

The annual event was scaled down to a handful of people due to lockdown restrictions.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Armistice Day 2020
North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Armistice Day 2020

But organisers were determined it should go ahead to remember the sacrifice of 99 men from the town and another 80 from surrounding villages who gave their lives fighting for their country in the First World War.

Hospital Friends group chairman Keith Jarvis said: “We were pleased to hold the service in honour of the soldiers the hospital is a memorial too, as well as others who have given their lives serving their country. It was a small but poignant gathering but we hope to revert to a larger scale service next year.”

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Armistice Day 2020
North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Armistice Day 2020

He joined North Walsham church ordinand Jo Haywood, Salvation Army bugler Ian Richardson, and two Royal British Legion representatives – deputy-chairman and standard bearer Bill McIvor and secretary Sheila Mitchell, for the short service.

Prayers included one for the foundation of the 24-bed hospital in memory of those who suffer through war, and for its current patients – who, following a recent temporary change of role for the unit – are all people recovering from Covid.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Armistice Day 2020
Hospital Friends chairman Keith Jarvis lays the group’s wreath at North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Armistice Day 2020

 

Filed Under: Events Tagged With: armistice day, North Walsham Hospital Friends

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 10
  • Next Page »
  • Facebook

Recent Posts

  • Friends’ festive treats for hospital patients and staff
  • Sophie chosen for hospital wall art project
  • Second wave of Friends food parcels for hospital staff
  • Help hospital Friends when you shop online
  • Scaled down but poignant Armistice Day 2020

News Categories

  • Committee (5)
  • Community (2)
  • Donations (3)
  • Events (23)
  • Fundraising (31)
  • history (5)

Chairman

Keith Jarvis
15 Primrose Close
Trunch NR28 0QH

Tel: 07788 889853

Secretary

Angela Batson
30 Beechlands Park
Southrepps NR11 8NT

Tel: 07775 557381

Treasurer

Carol Willgress
28 Beechlands Park
Southrepps NR11 8NT

Tel: 01263 833733

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Logo

© 2021 · Friends of North Walsham War Memorial Hospital, Yarmouth Road, North Walsham, Norfolk NR28 9AP. Tel: 01692 408000
Registered charity number 298857
Website by North Walsham Guide