Newsletter Update - as published in the Easingwold Advertiser 17.12.11

Amazingly blessed by fine weather on two consecutive December Saturdays, the Friends of St Monica's set out their Christmas stall as part of Easingwold's growing festive attractions.  As one of 23 charities taking part in the town's first Christmas Charity Market on 3rd December, 12 volunteers manned the hospital's red and green themed stall, under the supervision of Ann Wilks.  Ann's enthusiasm was responsible for the wealth of gifts and decorations donated to the stall.  It proved a real crowd puller taking £324 in four hours.  Everyone who took part felt it had been well worthwhile, and look forward to it becoming an annual event.

Last Saturday the annual Christmas Coffee Morning in the Methodist Hall attracted a steady stream of people.  The prize tombola saw that no one left empty handed.  Expenses are still being deducted, but the event made £411.  Appreciation goes to everyone who donated to the Friends via the collecting boxes in the Hospital and Physiotherapy Department, plus all who donated throughout the year.


Newsletter Update - as published in the Easingwold Advertiser 05.11.11

The great part that volunteers and collectors play in the ongoing success of our local Hospital was acknowledged at a recent Coffee Morning at St Monicas's.  Grateful thanks was paid to the 30 people present and those uanble to attend, by Committee Secretary, Nick Eleanor, who also gave a run down on work completed, and possible plans for the future.  The daily rota of volunteers serve patients and their visitors coffee and tea, cakes and biscuits, from the trolley, as well as other duties that help to give staff more time to care for the patients.  However, at a recent Committee Meeting, it was reported, that, due to some volunteers retiring, numbers were down to 16, leaving several slots vacant each month.  Anyone with an hour or so to spare would be most wlecome.  The annual brown envelope collection raised nearly £8,000 from members.

Volunteers have also offered to man the St Monicas stall at Easingwold's Charity Christmas Market on 3rd December.  Coordinator, Ann Wilks, is looking for small Christmas items, festively wrapped, be they homemade, bought or nearly new, but in good condition.  These can be left at St Monicas's anytime up to the end of November, or can be collected by phoning Mrs Wilks on 01347 824081.  Anything unsold will not be wasted as St Monica's Christmas coffee Morning is the following Saturday 10th December, once again at the Methodist Hall, with cakes, raffle, prize tombola and the Boot Shop stall.

At a recent Commitee Meeitng, it was reported that the palliative suite is now fully furnished.  The overflow car park is back in use.  A search is stilll on for a reasonably priced supply of replacement earmuffs compatible with the headphones used with the televisions in the Hospital.  The 2012 Summer Garden Party will be held at St Monica's on a date to be agreed, once events in celebration of the Royal Diamond Jubilee have been finalised.  Accounts for 2010 have been filed with the Charity Commission.  The next Committee Meeting is on 8th December.


Newsletter Update - as published in the Easingwold Advertiser 20.08.11

The normal bi-monthly meeting was held recently when it was announced that the new palliative suite had been completed, which the Friends have paid for at a cost of £190,000.  Something in the region of £1,000 still has to be spent on furnishing the unit.  Light and airy, and looking onto the garden, the rooms have been converted from the end ward of the wing on the left down the corridor and consists of a room with the addition of the patient's bed, a single sofa bed and adjoining wet room equipped for anyone handicapped.  There will also be a small fridge and facilities for making hot drinks.  It is intended for use by those terminally ill with members of their family able to stay in the hospital around the clock.

The Friends will also provide a battery powered 'Camel' at a cost of approxmiately £2,000 which is an inflatable device for raising patients that have fallen to a sitting position.  The 'brown envelope' collection involving Easingwold and all the villages amounted to almost £8,000.

The original project to extend the front entrance has been cancelled as the proposed cost was out of proportion to the benefits that would be gained.  Instead the treatment rooms, resource room and the office would be reconfigured and refurbished to provide an enhanced reception area as well as improving patient confidentiality by providing a space for meetings between doctors and family members.  The cost (£80,000) of renewing the water supply to the Hospital will be met by the NHS.

Saturday December 10th has been identified as the date for the Christmas Coffee Morning and more information will follow in due course.  Plans are also in hand for the 2012 Garden Party and how it can be fitted in alongside the celebrations for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.


Newsletter Update - as published in the Easingwold Advertiser 18.06.11

St Monica's Garden Party was held on Saturday 4th June on a sunny day but a persistent cold wind prevailed.  It was held very successsfully at the Galtres Centre when many people attended.  With various entries to the site, it was not possible to count the numbers but when all the expenses have been paid, almost £1,000.00 was raised to benefit the hospital.  The committee are grateful to all those who came, made donations or simply spent their money on the day.


Newsletter Update - as published in the Easingwold Advertiser 02.04.11

The last meeting was a short one when we were told that work on the palliative suite would start in late March and the actual building work in early April.  All things being equal, it is hoped it will be completed at the end of June.  In the meantime, the overflow car park at the hospital is out of use and visitors to the Jean Farghar Room are asked to park away from St Monica's.  The Primary Care Trust is managing the project and has selected the builder.  The funds that will be used are those donated to the Friends by many generous people and organisations.

It was noted that the good quality and condition of the physiotherapy unit had been commended and the York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation has secured a contract for three years to provide physiotheraphy services.

Owing to the building work and the inconvenience this could cause, the annual Garden Fete will be held instead at the Galtres Centre on the first Saturday in June, when there will be (the) a raffle as well as many stalls, including those suitable for children.  Gifts for the raffle and the Prize Bingo can be left at the hospital as well as the other stalls, which will include plants and books.  The Town Band will play during the afternoon.


Newsletter Update - as published in the Easingwold Advertiser 26.02.11

The full meeting was preceded by the Finance Sub-Committee looking at ways in which monies could be re-invested to take responsibility for the future by increasing income and reducing risk in the current financial climate.  This was resolved and money invested in a variety of bank accounts but not more than £85,000 in any single one.

The Treasurer said that accounts for the year ending 2010 were with the auditors and would be presented at the AGM in June.  New television sets had been installed in the Hospital and were much appreciated by the patients.  Two reclining chairs would be purchased with the funds raised in memory of Sir Donald Luddington and three sets of foot pedals would be purchased for the Hospital physiotherapy department.

The Christmas coffee morning has been a success raising £561.  The Methodist Church Hall was considered a very suitable venue with all the appropriate facilities and recommended for subsequent similiar events.  The annual Garden Party is on Saturday June 4th and since it is hoped the new alterations will have started by then, the location has not yet been decided.

The good news is that Audrey Willis, matron at St Monica's, had a meeting with Mike Proctor, Deputy Chief Executive at York Teaching Hospital NHS who had said that the Hospital is not under threat and can continue to be of the high value it has always been in the community.