The League of Friends, based at Maidstone Hospital, is a charitable group which supports the hospital by offering a number of services and also raise funds to purchase equipment. The League of Friends is a registered charity which started in 1983.
The Fundraising Committee work year round to raise the much needed donations and organise a variety of events, such as quiz nights, coffee mornings, prize draws, and the pinnacle of the calendar - the annual Summer Fete - which is held within the grounds of Maidstone Hospital
Between May 2011 and April 2012, the League of Friends raised and spent over £61,000 on new equipment for the hospital and have committed to spending a further £208,000.
Items purchased include a Vital Signs Monitor for the Medical Assessment Unit, reclining chairs for chemo patients, murals and pictures for the Birth Centre and monitoring equipment for the diabetes unit.
The League of Friends have also committed funds to, amongst other equipment, a cardiac monitor for the ITU, a TV for the Orthoptic waiting area, cannulation trolleys for A&E, a heavy duty wheelchair for Physiotherapy and a number of urine analysers.
The largest single sum of money, £130,000, will be spent on a urology ultrasound which will be utilised within Radiotherapy.
Director of Nursing, Flo Panel-Coates, added, ‘We are very grateful to The League of Friends for all the vital fundraising events and projects they organise and bring to fruition.
‘Their hard work means that our patients can benefit from the first class equipment these additional resources allow us to buy.’
This year’s Fun Day will take place on Saturday 8 September between 12-4pm at Maidstone Hospital, Hermitage Lane.
The League of Friends second hand book shop located in Maidstone Hospital provides an important source of income, which enables donations such as this to take place. The shop is always in need of donations of books in a good condition.