MORE than £25,000 was given to support healthcare in Teesdale by the Friends of Richardson Hospital last year.
The charity’s annual meeting was carried out via group emails due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has also halted many of its usual fundraising events.
Iris Hillery, honorary secretary, provided a report to the trustees.
She said: “We are all coming to terms with the effects of Covid-19 on staff, patients and the community.
“We are all conscious of the impact of this on NHS, social care and key workers, and
will be offering our support in the weeks and months to come.”
The charity ended the year with a balance of £152,419, down £20,000 on the previous year – a reflection of the higher level of expenditure.
Donations and fundraising were slightly up on the previous year, bringing in £5,403. More than £1,000 was raised through the Vintage Fair held during Barnard Castle’s 1940s weekend in 2019.
Mrs Hillery added: “Legacies and gifts from funeral collections continue to be a significant part of our income, although we receive fewer legacies than we used to, reflecting the changes in charitable giving over the years.”
The charity’s expenditure totalled £28,127 – down £18,461 compared with 2018 – and included the purchase of specialist equipment and cold storage for Marie’s Pantry.
Items bought for the Starling Ward, clinics and services included TV headphones, toiletry packs and equipment to ensure safe and less stressful transfers from trolleys to beds.
A major purchase for the hospital at £12,990 was reminiscence interactive therapy equipment, fondly known as Rita.
This is an interactive touchscreen monitor that can be loaded with everything from games, quizzes, music, exercises to TV clips and even full length movies.
Rita has helped rehabilitate patients so they can return home without an extended stay in hospital.
Other purchases included a new treadmill, and physiotherapy and occupational equipment used in the outpatient clinics as well as the ward.
Mrs Hillery added: “We have continued to support healthcare in the community.
“Future purchases include two Verathon bladder scanners at £18,000 for the continence service and a Raizer chair to help with lifting patients who have fallen, both for community use.
“With increased staff numbers at the hospital now that the community and social care teams are based there, we have sought to enhance the staff room facilities with the purchase of two new microwaves.
“The friends continue to work positively with County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust and Community Health Partnerships to support and develop the services available at the hospital and in the community.
“All of our income is raised in Teesdale and spent in Teesdale.”
