The Friends held a very successful AGM at the Marlborough Town Hall on the evening of 10 May.
Jane Leighton, Trusts Fundraiser (left), for Brighter Futures with Catherine Newman, Head of Fundraising (centre) receive the grant award cheque of £10,000 from Friends Committee Member, Pat Harper. (Photograph courtesy of Neil Goodwin, marlborough.news)
Three grants were awarded to recent grant applicants: Brighter Futures received £10,000 towards equipping the new radiotherapy centre at GWH, Swindon which is due to open in April 2019. The Friends’ grant is to be matched by the Greenham Common Trust – which provides a further boost to the appeal target of £2.9 million. Catherine Newman, Head of Fundraising, who attended the AGM to accept the cheque, spoke of how providing radiotherapy at GWH Swindon will be the biggest improvement in cancer care that GWH, Swindon and North Wiltshire communities have ever seen.
Trusts Fundraiser, Jane Leighton, who also attended from Brighter Futures, announced the wonderful news that the radiotherapy appeal had now hit the £1.5million mark.
“It really has been an incredible two years and made even more special by the support we have received from you, the Friends of Savernake Hospital and the Community. You very kindly made your first donation of £10,000 back in July 2015 just after the appeal launched, setting us off to a great start. Tonight we are celebrating again with you after receiving another £10,000 which will be matched pound for pound by Greenham Common Trust…. Words cannot express how grateful we are for your continued support.”
A cheque for £4,000 was then presented to Anne Schwodler, head teacher of Marlborough St. Mary’s Primary School. The grant will support about 20 of the school’s children who have a range of special educational and complex needs. Specifically, the grant will be used to assist with the purchase of equipment for a sensory room for two “Resource Bases” in the school’s new building.
Marlborough St Mary’s Head Teacher, Anne Schwodler (left), accompanied by Chair of Governors, Mark Thomas receive the grant award cheque from Pat Harper of the Friends. (Photograph courtesy of Neil Goodwin, marlborough.news)
Finally a cheque for £4,250 was handed to Jean and Alan Mayston, members of the Marlborough “Arts Together” group. Both Jean and Alan spoke with enthusiasm about the benefits of Arts Together.
Since 2000 Arts Together has worked with very frail, isolated older people to counteract the damaging effects of social isolation and extreme loneliness. The aim of Arts Together is to improve members’ health and wellbeing using a variety of professional art projects to provide that all-important stimulation and social interaction.
Jean and Alan Mayston, along with Julia McNeill from Arts Together receive the grant awards cheque from Pat Harper of the Friends. (Photograph courtesy of Neil Goodwin, marlborough.news)
The Arts Together Wellbeing Service ensures that all members, whatever their disability are able to attend their groups, participate fully in activities and are able to access additional health or social care support if the need arises.
The Friends’ guest speaker was Dr Anna Collings of the Kennet and Avon Medical Partnership, who spoke about the recent merger between Marlborough Medical Practice and Pewsey Surgery. She spoke of the progress that had been made by the two general practices as a result of the merger, whilst acknowledging the continuing strains put on general practices, not just locally but nationwide. Dr Collings’ topic was extremely informative and drew many comments, suggestions and questions from an attentive audience which included conservative candidate for Devizes, Claire Perry.
