Friends of Savernake

News

July 13th 2010: Claire Perry fighting our corner in Westminster Hall: Click here to see.

July 8th 2010: Staff crisis forces Marlborough hospital to shut half its beds …    Follow story in Gazette & Herald

July 7th 2010: The first Friends Coffee Morning in The Sun Inn was a great success. Brian and Jenny Ward get the prize for travelling the furthest – they came all the way from Chingford by train and bus – that’s real dedication!  Brian had a great time talking to other Friends about his memories of being a patient in Savernake in 1954 – he was admitted the same month as Deirdre Rix started working at the hospital so the two had plenty to talk about!

Thanks to Sarah at The Sun for baking such delicious cakes for us – next Coffee Morning is the first Tuesday in August and we’ll take along some History Files again for anyone who would like to have a read or indeed add to the memories as Brian has done – click here to see his story

March 1st 2010:  Shop now open Please click here to read more

January 14th 2010: The ashes of Matron Blackwell have today been laid to rest in the grounds of the hospital she served and loved so well.  A Magnolia tree was planted in remembrance of her by the Friends and a Camellia by the name of “Mabel Blackwell” will also be planted in Spring.

January 8th 2010: Space was set aside for a shop when the hospital was rebuilt in 2005 but the Friends of Savernake Hospital held back until the result was known of a judicial review in the High Court last summer which upheld the closure of the Minor Injuries Unit and day hospital. Click here to read more >

November 9th 2009: A cheque for £10,000 has today been sent to the Bar Pro Bono Unit!  This was the amount raised over and above what was required to pay the legal costs – fantastic community effort!  There are still some cheques coming in so there’s something left  in the kitty to fund a Walk for Justice day in Savernake Forest next year.

November 7th 2009: Savernake Hospital Team of lawyers had a special mention in the Pro Bono Award this year:http://www.barcouncil.org.uk/news/latest/456.html

November 3rd 2009: Our lawyers are officially Heroes! http://www.3paper.co.uk/newsarticle/419/15

October 2009: The Hospital is to have a Shop run by Friends of Savernake -  in the planning stage at present.  If you would be interested in helping please go to Sign Up page and become a volunteer! More news soon.

News and new links on CASH page >

August 14th 2009: FUNDS RAISED!

The community has sent an avalanche of cheques and donations to Friends of Savernake!  The response has been just fantastic and quite overwhelming.  In a short space of time (somewhere between two and three weeks) sufficient funds have come in to cover the £10,000 costs and a cheque dated August 14th has been written for that amount.

The fund for the Bar Pro Bono Unit has been set up and is growing fast – more news soon!

A huge thank you to everyone who made it possible for the Judicial Review to go ahead by pledging and to even more people who have donated.  All funds for the Blues for Savernake concert on September 25th can now go to the Bar Pro Bono Unit – don’t miss this – we all need to get together and enjoy ourselves – hope to see you there!

Tickets at Sound Knowledge – more info on site soon.

June 18th 2009: This Survey result has now been sent to the NHS Wiltshire.  Once everyone who indicated that they would like to communicate more about their experiences has been contacted and the long list of comments has been typed up it will appear here…

June 3rd 2009: Judicial Review travel details. Click C.A.S.H page for more information

May 22th 2009: The vast majority of respondents to a survey on the loss of services at Savernake Hospital think that it is now more difficult to access urgent treatment for minor injuries. See full story here

April 27th 2009: The online survey is now closed – thank you to all who completed the forms!
If you missed it, but are itching to say something – please feel free to use our Comments page

April 25th 2009: The Friends of Savernake Hospital and Community Annual General Meeting 24.4.09. Full details here

April 9th 2009: Survey – have your say now

Please click here to complete the Patient Satisfaction Survey Form online,

Thank you.

April 6th 2009: To all members You are invited to our AGM on 24th April to be held at 7.30pm in ST MARYS CHURCH MARLBOROUGH (through alley at top of steps behind Town Hall). We are pleased to welcome Michael Ancram as our guest speaker.

Members can renew annual subscriptions or take out life membership at the AGM or click on Sign Up to join online now. Apologies or questions can be sent to Mrs Sally Cripps, 5 Bergamot Close, Manton, Marlborough SN8 4HT
or phone 01672 513222

April 2nd 2009: Read the latest news from the Royal Courts of Justice

March 27th 2009: As of today the coach is full!. BUT there are two or three people who may have to cancel so we have a reserve list. If you like to phone Janet Louth on 01672 513868 she will let you know the current situation.

March 18th 2009: The Strike Out Hearing will be in the Royal Courts of Justice (London) on Wednesday 1st April. Many people have expressed a wish to show support for Val Compton, as do the Friends of Savernake Hospital. In order to make travel arrangements we need numbers, so if you wish to attend please email now (include your phone number) to friendofsavernake@hotmail.com. We may not contact you, but will put the arrangements on the website so keep an eye on the News Page.

We should make it clear, the trip involves a crack of dawn start from Marlborough and will be a full day in court, so you are unlikely to get home until early evening!  Transport places are limited and will be on a strictly first come first served basis.

Once we have numbers we will post the arrangements here, so don’t forget to check the website.

We were sad to hear that Miss Blackwell, who was Matron of Savernake Hospital from 1952-65 died last week.

Matron was the grand age of 105 years and had spent the last 17 years at Marlborough Lodge where she received excellent care.  We were delighted that she had been able to visit the History of Savernake Exhibition where she  enjoyed seeing and meeting nurses that had trained under her, also looking at pictures of Savernake as she remembered it.

February 12th 2009: Judicial Review date now set >

February 10th 2009: We’ve added a small selection of pictures and information to our History Project Page following the Exhibition. More will follow in time….

January 7th 2009: The Directions Hearing, which was originally scheduled for July 2008, will now take place in The High Court on February 12th 2009.

**NEWS FLASH**
November 27th 2008: Wiltshire Primary Care Trust have been refused leave to Appeal to the House of Lords. More details on CASH page: http://www.friendsofsavernake.org/cash/

November 18th 2008: Amateur jockey in race for seat
Extract from article by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

HEXHAM Conservatives have selected a London-based barrister to stand for election when Peter Atkinson MP steps down. Former senior Tory adviser Guy Opperman will fight for the Hexham seat at the next general election.

Last night Mr Opperman said: “I am delighted and honoured to have been selected by local people to be the parliamentary candidate for Hexham. I am grateful for the support given to me by Peter Atkinson, the present MP.

“I know the area well and this is now my home. I will be living and working in Hexham from now on and can’t wait to get started.”

Mr Opperman last year won a national award for his pro bono work helping volunteers.

After receiving the award, given to those who offer legal advice and time for free, he called on other lawyers to do more for good causes.

He said: “I would like all barristers to be required to give one day a year to pro bono work; many barristers earn between five and 40 times what a nurse earns.

“One day a year is not too much to ask and if even half of the Bar committed to it thousands of people could be helped.”

The keen amateur jockey was asked in a interview with The Times last year what he would have done if he had not became a lawyer. He answered: “I would have been a professional steeplechase jockey. There is nothing more exciting than winning races on half a ton of horse over big fences at speed.

Admin note – We add our congratulations to Guy and are pleased to note that he is still committed to our cause.

November 5th 2008: See updated C.A.S.H. page

October 10th 2008: The Friends of Savernake approached the PCT for permission to take some up to date photographs inside the hospital for the website.  Permission was granted at first, then withdrawn.

The reason given was the Judicial Review.  We are sorry we are unable to show you how smart but welcoming Savernake Hospital looks right now

October 6th 2008: Wiltshire PCT is going to be known as Wiltshire NHS from November 1st 2008

October 1st 2008: Congratulations!

To President, Ray White MBE, who has this year completed 50 years of service as a Friend to Savernake Hospital.  Now that’s what you call staying power!

Ray was involved from the start with  “The League of Friends of the Marlborough Hospitals” (that was Savernake Hospital & the Childrens’ Hospital on the common) in 1958 – and continues to attend meetings and contribute now.  His enthusiasm, knowledge and ability to see the bigger picture is the glue that holds the organisation together.