New Friends Courtyard Opens At West Suffolk Hospital

Date: Thursday, May 26, 2005
Time: 12.30pm
Venue: Friends Courtyard near G8, West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds

A picturesque courtyard garden for patients, visitors, and staff, will be officially opened by the Friends of West Suffolk Hospital on Thursday (May 26).

The courtyard, which backs onto the hospital’s G8 ward, was funded by the Friends with a legacy left to them by former committee member Richard (Dickie) Devereaux who died in 2003. He has been a member of the Friends for more than 15 years.

The President of the Hospital Friends Norman Oldman will officially open the courtyard. The courtyard design was based on the theme of reminiscence of days gone past. It features an old tin bath, an old style water pump, garden tools on the walls and cobblestones.

The new Friends Courtyard, which cost £10,000, is one of 22 around the hospital site. The development of the Friends Courtyard, can be seen in photographs in the display cabinet in the main corridor.

A further £3,500 from Mr Devereaux’s legacy will go towards another courtyard that is being developed next to the breast care department.

President of the Friends Norman Oldman said: "The Friends Executive Committee felt it was a appropriate use of this legacy and a facility which could be enjoyed by everyone."

The new Courtyard is just one of the many projects which the Friends have been involved in around the Hospital.

Veronica Worrall, Chairman of West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust, said: "The Trust feels that the environment in which we care for our patients is important.

"The new Friends Courtyard is one of several around the hospital site which are a real asset to our hospital and which are enjoyed by patients, visitors and staff alike."

26 May 2005