Friends of Holy Cross Hospital
(Registered Charity no 248993)
The Friends of Holy Cross Hospital Newsletter
Issue 25, October 2011
Click to download the latest copy October Newsletter 11 
The AGM of the Friends of Holy Cross Hospital was held on Wednesday 13th April 2011. Click to download the minutes
Aims and Objectives
Our aim, as a group of Friends, is to support Holy Cross Hospital, to encourage all who work there and to help its patients and former patients and their families.
We will seek to do this by:
- Keeping in touch with the hospital
- Learning of its achievements, its needs and its hopes
- Telling others of these achievements, needs and hopes
- Contributing ourselves to meeting the needs of the hospital
- Increasing the membership of the Friends and enabling them to celebrate with us the life of the Hospital
- Raising money by subscription, donations, legacies and events
- Restoring and preserving links with those who have been Friends in earlier years
Activities
Support takes many forms, but the main activity is the running of fund-raising events, raising money for specific items such as an ambulance for the use of the residents. Over £20,000 has been raised in the past few years for the ambulance, and this provides the residents with transport to a variety of places, including shopping trips, home visits, cathedral services and the occasional pub lunch.
The committee is active in projects in the hospital and welcomes enquiries from those who think they would like to help or contribute in some way.
Becoming a Friend
To become a Friend of Holy Cross, a donation of £10 per year is requested. Friends receive a copy of the Newsletter and invitations to events which are run throughout the year. There is a great need to increase the number of Friends. We need more people to be aware of the valuable work being done in Holy Cross for the neurologically damaged residents. Alternatively, you may consider becoming a Volunteer - helping us by offering some time as a driver, reader or other useful assistance.
Please click here to download an application form
Dates for the diary
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Friends AGM at Holy Cross Hospital
Friday 25 May 2012
Tennis tournament, including lunch
Tuesday 12 June 2012
Bridge Afternoon at Northchapel Village Hall. First hand at 2pm and afternoon tea at 3.15pm. Price is £32 per table. Click here to download a booking form. Please book by May 1st.
Sunday 7 October 2012
Sponsored Walk (date to be confirmed)
Saturday 10 November 2012
Race Night (venue to be confirmed)
From the October 2011 Newsletter...
A Visit to Meet the England squad at Twickenham
On Tuesday 9th August, we took one of our ‘sporty’ patients and his family to an open training session for the England Rugby Team at Twickenham prior to the squad setting off to New Zealand for the World Cup. This made up for cancelling a trip to the cricket at Lords, deemed unsafe on account of the riots that had broken out across London.
It was a beautiful sunny day and the ice-cream vendor was doing good business when we arrived. We took photos of the Mascots and were wondering what to do with our time before training started when a fleet of black Range Rovers arrived each carrying a couple of players and staff. The players were very happy to mingle with fans and stopped to talk to us and share their excitement at being considered to play for their country. We had lots of ‘photo opportunities’ with both players and the training staff.
Once they were all inside the stadium was opened and we received VIP treatment, being allocated lots of space next to the players tunnel, behind the players benches and within touching distance of Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson, Mike Tyndall and many more familiar rugby faces.
Thanks to the RFU, we shared an experience that is a rarity in any professional sport and had a great time! Without the Friend’s support for social activities and in particular the minibuses memorable days such as this would not be possible. The benefit to the patient and his family is incalculable.
