News – Page 3

Friends deliver festive gifts to hospital patients and staff

22nd December 2021 by Richard Batson

We’ve been! A sleigh-full of goodies have been dropped off at North Walsham hospital by its Friends group to give patients and staff a festive boost.

Packages for patients include a dozen goodies ranging from word search puzzle books and bedsocks, to toiletries and chocolates.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Friends 2021 Christmas gifts — *Friends chairman Keith Jarvis and wife Zana delivering the festive goody bags.*

Three big hamper bags for staff working on the wards, and other departments, contained food and drink including mince pies and biscuits.

They were delivered by Friends chairman Keith Jarvis and his wife Zana who is a committee member.

Keith said: “It is a Friends tradition to do the Christmas presents, which we know are appreciated by the patients and staff. In a normal year we would tour the wards handing them out, but this is the second year we have had to drop them off, for staff to hand out on Christmas Day.

“Patients enjoy the treats, and they like knowing that people, other than their family, are thinking of them at Christmas. And we like to show our appreciation to staff, who have had a particularly tough year due to Covid.”

Young choir brings carol singing treat to hospital

19th December 2021 by Richard Batson

Carol singers gave patients at North Walsham hospital a doorstep musical treat.

Broadland Youth Choir normally wanders the wards to bring festive cheer to people’s bedsides.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Broadland Youth Choir carol singing 2021 — *Broadland Youth Choir visiting the hospital to sing carols*

But this year, due to Covid restrictions, the youngsters serenaded patients from the patio outside the day room – letting their cheery harmonies filter inside via open windows and doors.

Choir musical director Zaira Palumbo said earlier in the day the 22-strong choir based at Salhouse sang outside Roy’s of Wroxham, and the hospital visit was their final performance of the year due to Covid cancellations of other planned events.

The event was organised by the Friends of North Walsham War Memorial Hospital, who support the hospital by using donated money to buy extras that benefit patients, staff and visitors. Their final event will be on Wednesday (December 22) when they drop off goody parcels for patients and food hampers for staff.

Friends’ festive plans for hospital

6th December 2021 by Richard Batson

Two festive trees have gone up at North Walsham War Memorial Hospital as its Friends group prepares for Christmas.

The Friends, funded by public donations, provide extra treats for hospital staff and patients all year round. But at Christmas, and particularly during the ongoing Covid pandemic, it has been doing a little bit more.

It is the second year they have provided illuminated trees to stand outside the reception door, and on the patio outside the day room. This year’s trees were generously donated by grower David Sarsby of Banningham.

Chairman Keith Jarvis after installing one of the Christmas trees.

Friends will continue their tradition of preparing 30 goody bags of gifts for patients staying in the hospital over Christmas. But, unlike in normal years when Friends members tour the wards to hand them out, they will be delivered to the hospital for distribution by staff under Covid guidelines.

An annual visit by the Broadland Youth Choir to tour the wards and sing carols, which was also called off last year due to lockdown, is making a partial comeback on December 18 – with the young singers performing outdoors (weather permitting) from the patio, so patients can hear them in their beds.

Friends chairman Keith Jarvis said: “We have been restricted on what we can do, especially at Christmas, but we feel it is important to show patients and staff that people care for them, and recognise the tough job ward staff in particular have been doing for many months.”

The Friends have also been providing regular food and drink deliveries to bolster staff morale during Covid – and will be delivering staff hampers too over Christmas.

Despite the pandemic restricting what the Friends can do inside the hospital, they have been busy doing what they can to support the hospital in 2021 with some outdoor projects.

It has included providing tools, compost bins, bird feeders and new outdoor furniture towards improvements in the hospital garden, and funding a giant mural to replace a brick wall view from a ward window.

They are also starting a major tidy up of the hospital’s wild flower meadow, which will see the local Round Table helping providing the manpower to rip up and reinstate footpaths through it.

The Friends rely on public support to carry out their work – through donations, legacies, fundraising, and becoming a member. To find out more about the Friends and how to get involved visit

Service honour’s war dead at hospital built in their memory

11th November 2021 by Richard Batson

The 179 men from the North Walsham area who gave their lives in the First World War were honoured at an Armistice Day ceremony outside the hospital built in their memory.

The original War Memorial Hospital was opened in 1923 following a public fund-raising appeal. It salutes the 99 soldiers from the town and 80 from surrounding villages who made the ultimate sacrifice fighting for their country.

A memorial stone from the building still proudly stands at entrance to the current building which replaced it, and is the focus of an annual ceremony on November 11.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Armistice Day 2021 — *The Armistice Day service at North Walsham War Memorial Hospital. Left to right: bugler Ian Richardson, Rev Nigel Paterson, and wreath layers Sheila Mitchell (RBL) and Keith Jarvis (Hospital Friends).*

Veterans, hospital staff and supporters and members of the public gathered for the two minutes’ silence.

Assistant priest the Rev Nigel Paterson led prayers, while bugler Ian Richardson the Salvation Army’s divisional envoy played the Last Post.

Wreaths were laid by Royal British Legion branch secretary Sheila Mitchell and hospital Friends chairman Keith Jarvis. Legion deputy chairman William McIvor was standard bearer.

Meadow makeover by hospital Friends

1st November 2021 by Richard Batson

Hospital supporters have turned land workers to give a wild flower meadow a winter makeover.

The area in front of North Walsham War Memorial Hospital has been mown, and is now being raked, by members of its Friends group.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Friends wild flower meadow work — *Hospital Friends Angie Batson, James Plummer and Keith Jarvis at work in the wild flower meadow.*

Next they plan to tidy up pathways where wooden edgings and anti-weed mat have rotted.

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital wild flower meadow in bloom — *The wild flower meadow in bloom*

The meadow was created by the Friends, with help from local businessman Carl Bird in memory of his mum Madge, in 2012 on the site of the former hospital when it was replaced by the current building.

Friends chairman Keith Jarvis said: “Ten years on, the meadow is in need of a bit of tender loving care, so we have given it a good haircut and rake through to help the flowers come back stronger next year.

“We will also remove crumbling edges and torn matting which have become a trip hazard.

“There are not many of us, so we are trying to enlist help from other organisations who might be able to join work parties in the coming weeks.”

Anyone willing to help should contact Keith at k.jarvis155@btinternet.com.

Other Friends news:

North Walsham War Memorial Hospital Armistice Day 2020

A Remembrance Day service will be held at the hospital at 10.45am on Thursday November 11. Last year, due to Covid, nobody except a handful of representatives was allowed to attend – but this year visitors are welcome to attend, while remaining socially distanced.
The Friends are also planning to provide festive gifts for the two dozen patients spending Christmas on the wards. As last year, due to Covid restrictions, we cannot attend to hand them out, which will be done by staff. But we will be putting up trimmed Christmas trees outside the front door and on the rear patio, and providing hampers for staff.
We have also provided a range of “extras” for the hospital, using funds donated by the public, ranging from compost bins for volunteer gardeners and shaving mirrors for patients to plastic boxes for staff “scrubs”.

Find out more about the Friends, our work, and how to donate or get involved by exploring this website.

Friends deliver festive gifts to hospital patients and staff

Young choir brings carol singing treat to hospital

Friends’ festive plans for hospital

Service honour’s war dead at hospital built in their memory

Meadow makeover by hospital Friends

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