Hospital donations prove a major tonic

THE Pennine Acute Trust has thanked generous residents after receiving nearly half a million pounds through donations to its registered charity.

Of the £585,000 the charity received during the last financial year (2009-10), £414,000 was through donations, £52,000 through legacies and £119,000 through investment income.

Last year the charity spent £661,000 on patients’ amenities, staff education and welfare and research.

The majority of expenditure has been spent on medical equipment for a range of wards and departments across all the trust’s hospitals in Oldham, Rochdale, Bury and North Manchester.

Trust chairman John Jesky thanked local charities, staff, patients and the public for donating and raising so much money over the past year.

He said: “I would like to thank everyone for the generous donations received over the last year and the charitable work undertaken by all individuals and organisations.

“Charitable donations contribute greatly, enhancing the services that we provide.

“Whether it is £1 or £1,000 that is donated to us, each penny is gratefully received and it is put to good use.

“The money is spent on patients’ expenditure, which provides equipment or services in addition to normal NHS provision; staff expenditure which provides services that improve staff wellbeing, our hospitals arts programme or medical research.”

Oldham’s mayor during 2008-09, Councillor Shoab Akhtar, donated £9,000 for equipment for the Royal Oldham Hospital’s special care baby unit and raised funds for a specialist chair for the diabetes centre. The Link4Pink appeal, led by a committee of volunteers, raised a total of £130,000 to build a conservatory-style extension to the Victoria Breast Care Unit at the hospital.

The appeal was boosted during the year by many significant donations and fundraising events held by individuals, companies and organisations in the Oldham and Rochdale areas.

A medical tattoo machine for the unit was purchased by local charity Tit4Tat, which was set up by a patient treated at the Victoria Breast Care Unit.

The hospital also received donations and proceeds from numerous fundraising events, supporting a variety of wards and departments, and was particularly surprised to receive donations in lieu of gifts from a wedding.

For more information or to donate to The Pennine Acute Hospitals Charity, visit online at www.pat.nhs.uk, email charity@pat.nhs.uk  or contact the trust’s charitable fundraising manager, Jan Bolton, on 0161- 918 4497.