Successful guided walk featured in railway's 175th anniversary

On a pleasant Saturday afternoon a large group took a guided walk of the former St Francis Hospital at Haywards Heath.
DM16144161a.jpg 175th anniversary of Haywards Heath station. The train cake, with Michelle Wibowo who made it and organisers Tim Riggs and Ruth de Mierre. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-160918-203228008DM16144161a.jpg 175th anniversary of Haywards Heath station. The train cake, with Michelle Wibowo who made it and organisers Tim Riggs and Ruth de Mierre. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-160918-203228008
DM16144161a.jpg 175th anniversary of Haywards Heath station. The train cake, with Michelle Wibowo who made it and organisers Tim Riggs and Ruth de Mierre. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-160918-203228008

As part of the 175th year celebrations of the coming of the railway to Haywards Heath, local author and former nurse at the hospital, Joe Hughes continued the Victorian flavour of the weekend by bringing alive the life and times of the former hospital and the fate of the mentally ill back then.

With real hopes for a local museum bringing the hospital and its history to life, Joe says: “The walk was hugely enjoyed showing the great interest in mental health and its history.

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“The coming museum will add further to this and bring alive the history of the former hospital whilst maintaining a high profile for our mental health service which, whilst making certain improvements, continues to be grossly underfunded.”

Report contributed.

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