The Trust and the League of Friends want to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s donated and asks everyone to keep fundraising to help get us to the grand total.
The Scanner Appeal represents a real community effort with members of the public as well as hospital staff both donating to the campaign and raising funds for it.
The Appeal has also garnered celebrity endorsements from such people as Hollywood actor and comedian John Cleese, Olympian James Cracknell OBE, best-selling author Amanda Prowse, along with top British Touring Car Championship driver, and local lad, Will Burns, who has supported his local hospital by adding the Appeal’s ‘WES logo’ on his racing jacket for BTCC events.
Launched in celebration of the League of Friends of Weston General Hospital’s 2017 Diamond Jubilee, the fundraising campaign is a close collaboration between the League of Friends and the Trust, with an ambitious goal of raising £400,000. If the Appeal is successful, these funds would then be used to purchase a new digital scanner, as well as improving Radiology’s diagnostic, consultation rooms and broadening services for patients.
“We are absolutely delighted,” June Stephen, League Chairman, said. “Thank you, everyone, for your donations and your hard work in raising these much-needed funds.”
The installation of a new scanner will mean that the hospital can offer patients more scanning appointments and provide increased diagnostic services for life-threatening conditions such as cancer, as well as chronic respiratory and heart conditions.
“With this particular sum of money we can now actually start the building work,” Trust Chairman Grahame Paine explained. “This will include a third digital X-ray room with computerised units which will provide a quicker and better examination, as well as a refurbished X-ray Department and the creation of separate waiting areas for inpatients and outpatients. We also want to provide a new ‘walk-in’ service where GPs can send patients here without the need for appointments, which will cut down on waiting times and travel.”
Ultimately, however, the final £100,000 needed is still a significant amount. The community is urged to keep donating and fundraising.
“Please, please don’t stop giving now,” Grahame concluded. “We need the help of you, the public, to give money and take us to our goal. We’ve still got a long way to go, but the end result will be worth every penny to both our patients and our staff.”
(Back, l to r: Weston Area NHS Health Trust Radiology staff members Katie Etchells, Lindsay Bunniss, Grace Wilson, Sara Venn-Adams and Hilary Rose. Front: June Stephen, Chairman of the League of Friends, and Grahame Paine, Trust Chairman.)