Friends

A civic charity fund has boosted the North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Friends’ coffers by more than £4000.

The town’s outgoing mayor Barry Hester made the town’s hospital Friends his civic charity of the year.

And after a successful series of events he has handed over £4221.02 – more than twice the £2000 target he set himself for his year of office, which ended in May.

The fund was boosted by donations and money-raising events from across the community, and Mr Hester said “a lot of people were happy to help because they want to support the hospital.”

Events included cinema and fireworks on the park, a 24-hour pools marathon, bike and trike weekend, civic dinner, donated shoes sold on market stalls and in the Kitale charity shop, and a comedy night which starred TV funnyman Hal Cruttenden.

Mr Hester handed the cash over to Friends chairman Keith Jarvis at the North Walsham War Memorial Hospital, thanking everyone who helped stage and man events.

They included Rob Scammell and Shelly, Phil McCormack, Callum Tartt and Shelby Evans, Peter Edge, Judy and Alexander Oliver, Fiona Turner, Jenny Melville and Tina Foster, Anne Bullimore, Mary Seward and Helen Constantinou.

In his previous stint as mayor in 2016 he raised £1900, split between the North Walsham Dementia Support Group and the World War One window restoration in the parish church. This time he was pleased to help the Friends with their work in providing extras for the popular community hospital.

Friends chairman Keith Jarvis praised Mr Hester and those who contributed to the appeal, and said the committee was looking into a specific project for civic cash.

Recent Friends projects have included a £22,000 day room refurbishment, and ongoing improvements to the garden.

The next Friends’ next fundraiser is a Music for a Summer’s Evening concert of popular organ classics played by Jon Payne in the parish church on Saturday 20th July at 7.30pm. Tickets £8 (£5 concessions) on 07540440122 or http://www.northwalsham.eventbrite.co.uk

The trike and bike weekend, organised by White Swan publican Pete Edge, is being held again in aid of the hospital Friends next Easter.

A donation to the Friends has been made in memory of a voluntary nurse who used to work at one of North Walsham’s wartime hospitals caring for injured soldiers.

Constance Walker was a member of the well- known Walker family who co-ran Ebridge Mill with the Cubitts.

Constance Walker (right) in the family car

But granddaughter Celia Scott says Constance carried out a voluntary nursing role in at the Red Cross auxiliary hospitals set up in the town to help injured First World War troops.

“She was given a beautiful topaz brooch engraved with grateful thanks from the hospital. It is still in the family today –in Victoria, Canada,” said Mrs Scott, 85 a retired occupational therapist from Barton Turf whose family home used to be in Bacton.

“I saw the news article about the Friends and their involvement in funding replicas of the old hospital flags – and wanted to make a donation to them. It is in memory of my granny, but also to help the work of the current day hospital.”

Mrs Walker was born in North Walsham in 1872, the daughter of local solicitor William Empson. In married life she used to live in a house virtually opposite the current War Memorial Hospital. The hospital Constance worked in was one of two on Mundesley Road set up just for the war.

North Walsham Hospital Friends Constance Walker — Portrait of Constance Walker, a former voluntary nurse at North Walsham’s First World War auxiliary hospital.

Mrs Scott, like many supporters of the hospital, has family connections with its work, as her sister had two babies in the previous unit, which included maternity beds, just after the Second World War.

Family pictures show Constance Walker as a young woman posed by a fireplace, and (far right) riding in the family De Dion car with husband George and Mrs Scott’s aunt Beryl and mother Dorothy.

If you would like to support the work of the North Walsham War Memorial Hospital League of Friends through a donation send it to the treasurer Carol Willgress, 28 Beechlands Park, Southrepps, NR11 8NT, or call 01263 833733.

Civic tonic for hospital Friends’ funds

Donation in memory of wartime voluntary nurse

Chairman

Secretary

Treasurer