Friends of North Walsham War Memorial Hospital

That’s what Friends are for

Armistice ceremony’s 100-year-old VIP visitor

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A centenarian army veteran was among those marking Armistice Day at North Walsham War Memorial Hospital.

Stanley Puddifoot, 100, from Salhouse, who is a patient at the hospital, served six years with the Royal Artillery and the Chindits special forces in Burma and India.

He was wheeled from the ward to join Saturday’s silence and ceremony at the hospital, which is a memorial to 99 men from the town, and another 80 from surrounding villages.

The ceremony was led by the vicar of North Walsham the Rev Paul Cubitt, and was attended by guests including the Royal British Legion, hospital League of Friends and the town council.

Stanley Puddifoot joins the Armistice Day VIPs
Stanley Puddifoot joins the Armistice Day VIPs
Stanley Puddifoot at the Armistice Day ceremony
Stanley Puddifoot at the Armistice Day ceremony

Hospitals Friends launch into future with new blood

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New Committee

A hospital league of friends group has opened a new chapter with a new team at its helm.

A question mark hung over the future of the group at North Walsham since long-serving duo Brian Elliott and Brian Blackburn said it could fold unless new blood came along to run it.

But a new chairman, secretary and treasurer have stepped forward and are urging the public to continue their support for the North Walsham War Memorial Hospital League of Friends.

Incoming chairman Keith Jarvis, from Trunch, worked in the estates section of the health service for 29 years including dealing with North Walsham before retirement. He is also a governor at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, and chairman of North Walsham Rugby club.

He said: “The two Brians have done a brilliant job, but the friends are in good hands and will continue to be a link between the community and the hospital.”

New secretary is Angela Batson, admissions assistant at Gresham’s School, and treasurer is Carol Willgress, a former catering equipment company office manager – both from Southrepps.

Mr Elliott, who has been chairman for the past 36 years, said it was the end of an era for him and Mr Blackburn, who had served for 31.

“I have been proud of what we have achieved, from providing equipment to helping save the hospital from closure threats – but we could not have done it without the support of the public.”

Mr Blackburn said that over his 31 years the Friends had spent £714,328 on equipment for patients and staff as well as the new Dewing Suite training centre, but remarkably had never had to seek fund raising. It had all come from public donations, legacies and money in lieu of flowers at funerals.

At the annual meeting on Friday (September 15th) which approved the new officers, Friends member Margaret Johnson praised the expertise, tenacity and commitment of the two Brians – who she called the “dynamic duo”.

People can support the friends by making donations and through legacies. Contact Mr Jarvis on 07788 889853.

Hospital friends in need of new blood

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New Committee Members

A Friends group supporting a North Norfolk community hospital has put out a rallying call for new key officials to carry on its vital work.

Since it launched in 1949, the North Walsham War Memorial Hospital League of Friends has provided buildings, medical equipment, improvements and extras worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.

It also played a key campaigning role in saving the unit during a community hospitals shake-up nearly a decade ago.

But its chairman for the past 36 years, Brian Elliott, fears its proud record could come to an end unless new members come forward to take on leading roles.

“Without the Friends, there might not be a hospital, and we have provided a lot of facilities that would not have otherwise have been funded. But the committee is getting old and we need younger people to take over otherwise we will have to fold.”

The Friends are keen to recruit a new chairman, treasurer and secretary ahead of an extraordinary general meeting being called for August 25 to discuss the crisis.

Mr Elliott, 82, aims to step down this year along with secretary and treasurer Brian Blackburn, 78, who has served for 31 years.

During the past 10 years the Friends have given more than £370,000, buying everything from a suite of training rooms – thanks to a big legacy gift from Charles Dewing – to televisions, specialist mattresses and a wild flower meadow.

The revamped hospital now has 24 beds for post-operative, geriatrics and palliative patients, along with physiotherapy and social services.

Hospital chiefs have praised the work of the friends, with Gary Wiltshire, fundraising manager for the Norfolk Community Health and Care Charitable Fund, saying: “It would be hard to over-estimate the benefits that the Friends have brought to the hospital and its patients, families and the wider community over the years.

“Not only is there the donations that have provided many important improvements in care and facilities, but the Friends provide a vital and supportive personal link between the hospital’s staff and the local community.”

To help the friends contact Mr Elliott on 01692 405105 or email bridaph428@outlook.com

  • That’s what Friends are for
  • Some of items the Friends have bought in recent years include:
  • 2009: Epidot scanner, armchairs, mattress covers
  • 2010: hoist, chairs
  • 2011: hoist slings, camera
  • 2012: TVs for new hospital, mattresses and crash mats
  • 2013: chairs, stools, exercise steps, restoration of war memorial, bike shed, garden furniture
  • 2014: gait analysis software, powered recliner chair, summer house repairs, bench for war memorial
  • 2015: manual recliner
  • 2016: Dewing Suite, wild flower meadow
  • 2017: Dewing Suite equipment
  • They also fund Christmas decorations and goodies for patients every year

£342,000 out-of-the-blue legacy will pay for new rooms at North Walsham hospital

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Brian Elliot and Brian Blackburn
Brian Elliott,(left) chairman of the League of Friends of North Walsham and District War Memorial Hospital, and Brian Blackburn, treasurer. Picture: MARK BULLIMORE

An unexpected windfall from a grateful but little-known patient will transform the life of hospital staff in North Walsham.

Work began this week on a £300,000-plus project to build two new rooms at North Walsham and District War Memorial Hospital so that staff can hold training sessions and meetings without having to travel.

The development, due to be finished at the end of April, will also mean staff from other facilities can be trained at North Walsham.

It is being paid for from the will of the late Charles Oliver Dewing.

Mr Dewing, who died aged 82 in April 2011, was predeceased by his wife Barbara and the couple had no children.

He left his entire estate, including his bungalow on North Walsham’s Kendall Close, to the league.

Friends treasurer Brian Blackburn said the gift had been very welcome.

“It came out of the blue and was badly needed. We understand that at various times Mr Dewing and his wife had been treated at the hospital which shows how much patients think of the staff,” he added. “Unfortunately we know nothing else about him.”

The legacy, including the sale of the bungalow, amounted to more than £342,000, most of which will be used to fund the new rooms.

A larger room, measuring just over 58sq m with a kitchen attached, will be used to train staff and will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities.

It will also allow staff to meet with others from surrounding towns and hospitals such as Benjamin Court, Cromer, and Kelling.

And a smaller, 27sq m, room will be used for internal staff meetings, league of friends’ meetings and informal training. It will have an adjoining storage area.

Currently many such meetings have to be held in the patients’ day room, which restricts its use.

The rooms will form part of the hospital’s outpatient building, formerly known as Rebecca House.

Brian Elliott, chairman of the league of friends, said they were delighted at the development.

“It’s going to make a tremendous difference and is desperately needed,” he added.

I’m just sorry that there are no members of Mr Dewing’s family that we can thank.”

Gary Wiltshire, charitable funds manager with Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust, said the donation was a fine example of the support patients and services received from donors.

The trust had worked closely with the league of friends, staff and patients to ensure Mr Dewing’s gift would provide a valued legacy for many years.

“Future patients cared for at the hospital or at home will be able to rely on nurses and care staff who have been trained to a high standard. Staff will also be able to their training updated as and when they need it locally, thanks to this legacy,” he added.

The friends are also funding a wildflower meadow garden at the hospital.

It has been planted on the site of the original 1920s memorial hospital, demolished to make way for the new £3.7m 24-bed replacement opened nearby in May 2012.

The garden will be named in memory of Madge Bird, mother of North Walsham businessman Carl Bird, who was cared for at the hospital.

Mr Bird, who owns a skip hire and recycling business, has helped create the garden, levelling it and donating top soil.

Paths are due to be built in early spring and three memorial benches will be installed, including one honouring late hospital nurse Shirley Roper, and another, league of friends stalwart Tony Randell.

An archway entrance to the garden will bear Mrs Bird’s name. “We hope it will be a quiet place for patients, staff and visitors to use,” said Mr Elliott.

Redeveloped North Walsham and District War Memorial Hospital officially opened

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Normal Lamb opening redevelopment
Official opening of North Walsham Hospital. Norman Lamb MP cutting the ribbon. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY

A community from north Norfolk joined together to celebrate the official opening of North Walsham’s hospital.

The £3.7m redevelopment project saw the former building demolished and replaced with the new, modern ward.

Representatives from Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust, which runs the North Walsham and District War Memorial Hospital, patients, staff and local residents joined in with the celebrations.

Belinda Williamson, a modern matron who has worked at the Yarmouth Road hospital for more than 20 years, said the hard work and effort had been worth it.

She said: “We are really, really proud of the new hospital and it is an immense pleasure to work with the team here.”

The outcome of the project saw the old hospital knocked down at the end of 2011 and replaced with a new 24-bed unit, eight more than were available in the old hospital ward.

Following the rebuild, the hospital reopened to patients in May.

The new building includes updated outpatient facilities, such as physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, neurological support, continence care, podiatry and services which include rehabilitation care on the ward.

Mrs Williamson said: “The redevelopment project has taken some time, but I’m sure everybody will agree that our new community hospital has been worth the wait and it is beyond our wildest dreams.”

The new inpatient unit is connected to the outpatients department.

The construction was made from 44 modular pieces which were part-built offsite and came complete with interior walls, ceilings, door frames and electric points.

They were then fitted together and clad with bricks.

The heritage of the former hospital, built as a war memorial, has also been preserved and the hospital chaplain, Canon Derek Earis, carried out a rededication at the opening ceremony.

League of Friends chairman Brian Elliot said: “We now have something we never ever dreamt we would have. Our forefathers would have been very proud of us.”

North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb cut the ribbon to officially mark the hospital opening.

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
6 Rayna Loke
North Walsham, NR28 0FJ

Tel: 01692 402018

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