Friends group marks 70 years of helping hospital

THE Friends of Townlands Hospital celebrated its 70th birthday with a cake-cutting ceremony on Tuesday.

About 20 people who all have connections to the charity gathered in the waiting area on the first floor of the hospital to enjoy wine, cake and canapés.

The organisation, originally called the League of Hospital Friends, was founded by Charles Luker in 1955 and began as an organisation to try and raise funds to provide equipment for patients in the Henley hospitals.

Dr Peter Ashby, of Nettlebed, who has been a Friend for more than 50 years, addressed the congregation.

He said: “When I arrived in Henley in 1975, the War Memorial Hospital was thriving as a day hospital unit — they were the golden years.

“Sadly, in the Eighties, the then Berkshire Health Authority decided that they were going to try and close some of the peripheral hospitals to support the building of a day surgery unit — it was a great tragedy to lose that as a site.”

In the early 2000s, the Townlands Steering Group was established to save the hospital from possible closure and has been revived several times when issues have arisen.

Townlands Memorial Hospital, which was rebuilt and opened in 2017, now operates as an outpatient facility, hosting clinics to serve the community to alleviate pressures on other hospitals.

Over the years, the charity has donated equipment, including an ultrasound scanner, costing £30,000 in 2019 and a bed, primarily for the ear, nose and throat department, gifted in remembrance of Terry Buckett, a former Henley mayor and previous chair of the Townlands Action Group. Judith Nimmo Smith, the vice-president who joined the group in 2002, emphasised that the hospital possesses a “heart” and a strong community spirit, which has been vital for its continued operation.

She said: “Without the enthusiasm of people, it wouldn’t be quite the same. It’s a little bit more than just a hospital, which delivers services; it’s actually got a heart to it.”

She noted that Stephanie Greenwood, the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust Townlands service manager, plays a crucial role in facilitating funding bids.

She added: “She has been here for many years and the fact that she came on to our committee is quite pivotal because she puts out to the current medical staff the opportunity to bid for funds.”

Caroline Newton, who chairs the Friends charity, acknowledged the contributions of former Henley MPs Boris Johnson and John Howell, who helped to ensure the hospital’s survival. She said: “You only have to look around the room to see the history and to understand how these people have been hugely responsible for having this.”

“Boris Johnson and John Howell were incredibly involved in making sure that we still had a kind of hospital today by marching and petitioning at Number 10.”

Lord Tristan Phillimore, who has donated through his family charitable settlement for a number of years, said: “We feel that we can make an impact, and it is a charity that needs further support.

“The idea that we can donate to equipment that is needed, where the NHS is not able to help, feels like a very good one and long may it continue.”

A public celebration is scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday), from noon to 3pm in Market Place. It will feature food vans, a children’s entertainer, music, an ergo machine, a raffle, and a tombola.