Hospital Friends aidlocal response team

The Responders are volunteers whose role it is to support the Ambulance Service.

They will be directed by the Ambulance Service Control to provide a local response to calls for assistance in the hope they will be able to provide the essential early treatment, necessary in many cases.

This is not an alternative to the Ambulance Service attending but an addition to it.

The League of Friends provided them with two first aid kits, which included defibrillators and together cost £2,800.

The League, which raises funds by holding charity events throughout the year, has provided around £10,000 of equipment to improve the quality of life of patients at the Rye Hospital.

In the last few months they have bought a specialist walking aid to be used by the new Occupational and Physiotherapy departments as well by staff on the wards.

In addition they have provided three very expensive medical mattresses and have also funded the purchase of a new television to replace one that has been damaged.

Following the recent upgrade and decoration of the hospital the League provided all the new flat screen televisions in the wards.

The League also helped Rye charity ARRCC settle into its new premises by funding the £1,400 cost of providing a ramp to give wheelchair access from the building into their garden.

League chairman Chris Fairman said: “The Hospital is not an NHS facility but our own hospital, owned and managed as a charity by local people for local people.

“The staff are employed and managed by the NHS but all other costs are met by the Charity.

“They hope you can see from that, just how essential is the money they receive from the community.”