Celebrations as Weston General Hospital scanner appeal reaches half its target

An appeal for a new scanner for Weston General Hospital has reached the half-way point.

The League of Friends for the hospital launched the £400,000 appeal in April last year, and it has now hit £237,000.

The appeal, which is run in conjunction with Weston Area Health NHS Trust (WAHT), which runs the hospital, coincides with the Friends’ 60th anniversary.

The improved equipment would mean the radiology team could produce better-quality images and diagnose conditions more quickly, and cut waiting times.

June Stephen, chairman of the Friends, said: “The generosity of local people and organisations has helped us to race past the halfway mark and I cannot thank them enough for their support.

“Every pound donated is making a huge difference.

“However, we must continue to push on to reach our target goal. New digital scanning equipment for the people of Weston and the surrounding areas will mean greater access to treatment locally at Weston General Hospital, rather than having to travel to Bristol or Taunton and that’s hugely beneficial for older people who may find travelling to be more difficult.”

The donations have come from businesses, individuals and the Friends’ own fundraising events.

Weston MP John Penrose, who is president of the Friends, said: “I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone in the League of Friends whose hard work has meant we could hit this milestone so quickly; and another, equally huge thank you to everyone who has supported us and donated towards the cause.

“When the equipment arrives at Weston Hospital it will save the lives of local people – it’s that simple.”

The Friends’ next goal is to reach £300,000 as quickly as possible.

June added: “With your help, we can hit our target and fund essential life-saving equipment which will change lives for the people of Weston and North Somerset.”

To donate, text SCAN16 and the amount to 70070.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.