Fundraising

Hospital unveils day room makeover and says ‘that’s what Friends are for’

29th January 2019 by Richard Batson

A £22,000 facelift has turned the hospital day room into a welcoming space where patients and visitors can relax and reminisce.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital, Day Room, Friendship Room, Norman Lamb, Keith Jarvis — MP Norman Lamb with guests at the opening of the revamped Friendship Room at North Walsham War Memorial Hospital. Pic by Richard Batson

The project at North Walsham War Memorial Hospital was paid for by the League of Friends, which channels public funding donations into “extras” to benefit patients, families and staff.

The day room has been renamed the Friendship Room in recognition of the Friends’ work and to reflect its use as space where patients and visitors can relax and chat away from the wards.

It was officially opened by MP Norman Lamb who said it showed the value of the Friends’ work, and the strength of community support for the hospital.

The hospital, which also has social care and clinics such as physiotherapy, fitted the new long term NHS vision to deliver more care closer to people’s homes he added.

One wall of the refurbished Friendship Room has been transformed with a giant mural of a sun-dappled woodland, and another adorned with archive pictures of the hospital and town as a conversation piece for patients.

Friends chairman Keith Jarvis said the group was formed in 1949, two years after the NHS and had a proud history of supporting the local hospital – from providing a new training room to Christmas gifts for patients.

The day room project also includes a new television, blinds, flooring and furniture. It is also planned to renew furniture in the garden patio area outside the day room, for people to enjoy in good weather.

Among the guests at opening was town mayor Barry Hester who has made the Friends his civic charity of the year and has so far raised £2850.

The hospital is run by the Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust whose chief executive Josie Spencer added: “We are lucky to have people like the Friends who are willing to work on local initiatives like this – which can be projects we cannot afford, or would take longer to achieve without their help.”

The Friends are keen to recruit new members to help them in their work. If you are interested visit the How To Help section of this website.

Friends bring festive cheer and gifts to hospital patients

23rd December 2018 by Richard Batson

Patients on the wards at North Walsham War Memorial Hospital have been given some Christmas cheer by its League of Friends.

League of Friends deliver gifts to North Walsham War Memorial Hospital; League of Friends — League of Friends deliver gifts to North Walsham War Memorial Hospital. Pic by Richard Batson

Each of them received a gift bag brimming with 15 items from socks and stationery to toiletries and cheese biscuits – topped by a Christmas cracker.

Friends members toured the hospital on Saturday to deliver the parcels.

The presents, are one of the “extras” provided by the Friends – who rely on public donations for their funding – to improve the lives of patients and families. Staff were also given food hampers in appreciation of their work.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital, League of Friends. — North Walsham War Memorial Hospital staff receive gifts from the Friends. Pic by Richard Batson

Chairman Keith Jarvis said: “This is one of the highlights of our year. Staff say patients are so grateful that people are thinking of them. It is so rewarding to see the patients’ smiles at a time of year that is all about caring.”

Staff sang “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” to Friends after receiving their gifts, then headed back to work on the wards.

Carols bring festive cheer to hospital wards

15th December 2018 by Richard Batson

The festive lilt of carols echoed around the wards and corridors of North Walsham War Memorial Hospital as patients enjoyed a seasonal singing treat from talented youngsters.

The annual visit by the Broadland Youth Choir is organised by the hospital’s Friends group to bring some festive cheer to those having to spend Christmas in the unit.

Gentle and upbeat seasonal songs were performed by nine choristers from the choir for 8 to 16-year-olds which is based at Salhouse, and which says its regular visit to the hospital is one of the youngsters’ favourite ‘gigs’.

Friends’ secretary Angela Batson said: “You can see how thepatients, and their visiting families, really enjoy the young choristersthrough their smiles and applause. It is quite emotional.”

The Friends will be back at the hospital again next weekend delivering festive gifts to patients.

Day room revamp opens door to nostalgia and woodland

15th November 2018 by Richard Batson

Visitors to North Walsham hospital’s day room can take a trip back in time or into a leafy woodland glade thanks to the efforts of its Friends and public generosity.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Day Room revamp. Friends and ward sister Kerry Howarth by the new woodland wall mural. Picture; Richard BatsonA £20,000-plus revamp of the room at War Memorial Hospital has just been completed.

It features a full wall forest mural and a selection of archive photos showing the historic hospital and the town centre.

It was paid for using donations made to the hospitals League of Friends, who provide “extras” that are beyond the health service budget. Friends members got a glimpse of the room’s facelift after their annual general meeting.

Chairman Keith Jarvis said: “We hope the room will provide a homely, relaxing place for patients and their families to spend time together.

“The woodland wall is very tranquil, and the old pictures should provide a conversation piece and a reflection of the proud nursing heritage we have here in North Walsham.”

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Day Room revamp. Hospital Friends look at the display of archive pictures. Picture: Richard BatsonThe archive pictures – a selection of which are below – were provided by the North Walsham and District Community Archive.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Day Room revamp. Save Our Baby Beds campaign 1985. Picture; North Walsham and District Community Archive.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Day Room revamp. Archive pic of 1984 tree planting by the Friends, led by chairman Brian Elliott. Picture: North Walsham and District Community ArchiveThe project also includes a new television, blinds, flooring and furniture. It is also planned to renew furniture and provide raised flower beds in the garden patio area outside the day room, for people to enjoy in good weather.

A formal opening of the new-look day room will be is planned in the coming months.

During the previous year the Friends received £2354 in donations and £2280 in lieu of flowers at funerals, the annual meeting heard.

The group spent around £11,000 on buildings and equipment ranging from soundproofing a training room to a microwave oven and fan. The Friends also organise Christmas carol singing and gifts.

Chairman Keith Jarvis, secretary Angela Batson and treasurer Carol Willgress were re-elected at the 69^th annual meeting.

Mr Jarvis reported that the Friends had also helped provide replica flags to remember the town’s two First World War Red Cross hospitals which nursed injured troops. They were also pleased to be town mayor Barry Hester’s nominated civic charity this year.

For other archive pictures – and updates on the Friends work – also see our Facebook page.

Mayor’s civic charity fundraising for Friends reaches £1500

15th October 2018 by Richard Batson

North Walsham mayor Barry Hester’s year of civic fundraising for the Friends has topped the £1500 mark.

The sum was announced by Mr Hester at a civic dinner marking the centenaries of the First World War Armistice and the formation of the Royal Air Force.

He praised the community spirit which existed in North Walsham thanks to people organising events ranging from fireworks to cinema on the park, manning a new visitor centre and Matt Smith and North Walsham Play raising £150,000 for two new play parks.

The £1500 – so far – for the Friends was reached after four and a half months, boosted by a recent pool marathon held under the town clock.

North Walsham mayor Barry Hester with guests before the civic Armistice dinner. Picture by Greg Garfoot.The dinner, at the community centre, was attended by more than 90 people including councillors, representatives of North Walsham’s German twin town Friesenried, military charities and welfare organisations. Friends chairman Keith Jarvis, and committee members Zana Jarvis, secretary Angie Batson and press officer Richard Batson attended. The meal provided a taste of the Great War by using recipes from the time.

In a powerful speech which earned a standing ovation Friesenried Burgermeister Bernhard Huber said war was not about “guilt or innocence, winners or losers, right or wrong, or good or bad,” but about “millions of victims.”

The soldiers from both sides were “just normal people” involved in “useless fights” and regarded as worthless by the politicians.

The deaths were “not heroism, just manslaughter” and the victims would “rather be alive than heroes.”

And he warned against the modern day rising tide of nationalism which “more and more people seem to think is the cure for all problems, adding: “We can all see where extreme nationalism leads to” in a world where hate seemed more powerful than love.

Table decorations at the Armistice civic dinner. Picture: Greg Garfoot

There were also speeches from Royal British Legion branch chairman Colin Chambers, and county Legion president Sir William Cubitt, along with history re-enactor Neil Storey who recounted tales of local men who fought in the Great War, and urged people to “remember them but move on.”

Hospital unveils day room makeover and says ‘that’s what Friends are for’

Friends bring festive cheer and gifts to hospital patients

Carols bring festive cheer to hospital wards

Day room revamp opens door to nostalgia and woodland

Mayor’s civic charity fundraising for Friends reaches £1500

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