Rugby hospital charity passes £4m donation milestone - The Rugby Observer

Rugby hospital charity passes £4m donation milestone

Rugby Editorial 12th Oct, 2021   0

PROUD volunteers at the Friends of St Cross charity have marked an historical milestone after reaching £4million in donations to Rugby’s hospital.

Every department or service in the Hospital of St Cross has received backing from the charity, which was founded 65 years ago.

The Charity has also supported Community and Mental Health services across the town.

Willy Goldschmidt, Chairman of The Friends of St Cross, said: “The Friends are hugely proud of this moment and the contribution we have made to the NHS, its patients and the community.




“2021 has been a record year. Not only have we passed this historic milestone but donations of equipment and support for projects will exceed our previous record. We have spent over £280,000 so far this year – well in excess of the average of £115,000 in the last 10 years.

“In addition, our team of over 130 active volunteers are now delivering over 1,100 hours of support per month for the staff and patients at St Cross – more than before the pandemic.


“We could not have done any of this without the loyal support of local people. The high esteem in which we are held is reflected in the fact that two recent Mayors of Rugby selected the Friends as their mayoral charity and are currently trustees.

“Everyone involved with the Friends looks forward to many more years of working closely with our communities to support the Hospital of St Cross and the NHS in Rugby.”

Representatives from University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust, which runs St Cross, met with Trustees and supporters of the charity to say thank you for their commitment and dedication.

Professor Andy Hardy, Chief Executive Officer of UHCW NHS Trust, said: “Donations made to the Friends, however large or small, make a massive difference to how we can further improve the experience of the people using our services.

“Reaching £4million in donations is an incredible achievement and something to be incredibly proud of. I would like to say a huge thank you to the Friends of St Cross for their tireless endeavours to support the delivery of high quality patient care for the people of Rugby and beyond.”

Recently the Friends funded the purchase of all of the equipment for the new Maple Unit, which has brought intravenous chemotherapy services to Rugby for the first time.

In recent years, it has also funded the relocation of the Blood Taking Unit, the construction of an inpatient clinic for patients with complex sleep problems, donations of a mini C-arm for world class surgeons from UHCW NHS Trust to use, and a sophisticated scanner for the Glaucoma Service which helps to speed up diagnoses.

Visit www.fsx.org.uk for more information on the Friends of St Cross, or to make a donation.

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