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

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

New cabins mark updated Covid role for hospital

2nd November 2020 by Richard Batson

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital has become the main unit for Covid patients across Norfolk needing community nursing care.

The 24-bed unit is dealing with people who are being discharged from the county’s three acute hospitals, but who are in need of extra recovery before returning home.

A suite of three portable buildings has been added to the site to provide the staff with changing, shower and locker facilities and means the ward can run separately from the rest of the hospital, which is still dealing with outpatients needing services such as physiotherapy.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Covid cabins
The new portable cabins adding Covid safety at North Walsham War Memorial Hospital

The Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, has chosen North Walsham as the main ward to receive coronavirus patients.

It is partly because staff managed Covid patients well during the first wave, said clinical quality director (north) Del Mitchell.

Previously there was a mix of Covid and non-Covid patients. Having Covid-only helped reduce cross contamination, and made things easier for staff.

The North Walsham ward is receiving patients from the Norfolk and Norwich, James Paget at Great Yarmouth and Queen Elizabeth at King’s Lynn.

A Day Room, which was converted for overspill beds, has been returned to its original purpose.  One additional Health Care Assistant has been taken on for each 12-hour shift.

Non Covid patients who would normally go to North Walsham will be sent to other units such as Pine Heath ward at Kelling Hospital.

The Trust’s director of nursing and quality, Carolyn Fowler said the change of status at North Walsham would be “reviewed on a regular basis, but is likely to remain necessary during the winter months, or however long is deemed necessary to support the COVID pandemic locally.

 “I would like to reassure you that rigorous infection prevention and control policies are in place to ensure patient and staff safety.”

Mrs Fowler thanked the Friends for our “care and support to our patients and staff.”

Filed Under: Fundraising Tagged With: Covid-19, North Walsham Hospital Friends

Hospital staff praise community support through lockdown

15th September 2020 by Richard Batson

Staff at North Walsham War Memorial Hospital have praised the morale-boosting support they have had from the local community through lockdown.

The hospital has been dealing with Covid patients as well as routine ones over the last six months, when a temporary ward was added in a day room to cope with the extra workload.

Ward manager Mandie Owen reported to a meeting of the hospital Friends group that it had been a challenging time, with community staff drafted in to help in-patients.

The support from the community, including the Friends who provided weekly goody bags of food for ward staff, was “generous and appreciated”, she said.

Ms Owen said: “The patients and staff felt very supported by the local community and the Friends during the outbreak. It has all been much appreciated.”

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital staff gratitude for Covid support
Nurse Stella Mihalache and support ward manager Diane Cremin receiving the final goody parcel.

Staff have enjoyed sharing some of the gifts with the patients to brighten their day, especially those without any friends or family to visit. And staff particularly loved the support during a bad day.

She added: “I cannot tell you how proud I am of the staff. They have worked incredibly hard to support their patients and care for their colleagues if they’re struggling on a shift.”

As well as the Friends parcels, there have been gifts from other local shops, businesses and organisations ranging from flowers to takeaway meals. 

The 24-bed unit is prepared for a second wave of pandemic should it happen the report added.

The Friends continue to liaise with health officials about future projects post lockdown, including funding the fitting out of a room at the hospital where visitors can stay overnight or spend a bit of quiet time. Other plans include asking Paston College art students to paint a mural to brighten a blank brick wall outside a ward window.

 

Filed Under: Fundraising Tagged With: North Walsham Hospital Friends, North Walsham War Memorial Hospital

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 7
  • 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