THE League of Friends of Bridgnorth Hospital has started a membership drive in a bid to intensify its fight to get the operating theatre re-opened.
Publicity officer Carole Howells said that the move to strengthen the group was also aimed at bringing in more ideas for fundraising.
The league recently presented a petition with 4,000 names to Shropshire Primary Care Trust managing director June Patel calling for the re-opening. The theatre has been closed since January and the PCT is currently completing a business case on its future.
Mrs Patel said that the PCT will then need funding to support the business case from the Department of Health.
The PCT has invested almost £1 million in building improvements and new equipment at the hospital in the past three years. The League has already pledged £250,000 towards this when or if the theatre reopens.
“More volunteers would also be welcome to man the coffee shop. We are trying to promote the coffee shop and are putting up more advertisements within the hospital to make patients and visitors aware of the facility,” added Carole.
Membership forms to join the league can be obtained from the coffee shop, the hospital reception or from league secretary Sheila Plain on (01746) 716273.
The league donated well over £100,000 for equipment at the hospital during last year.
It has given £41,654 for two specialist Avant Guard beds, £30,665 for a gastrofibroscope, £23,874 for a bladder scanner, £4,290 for two Thermo Countour mattresses and £980 for a surgeon’s chair.
Members also agreed to pay about £16,000 for more special mattresses and £500 on newspapers and periodicals. There will be no hospital fete this year, but a grand draw will be held there on September 4.
There will be many good quality prizes in the draw, with the top prize being £200. One of the other prizes is a Houses of Parliament bottle of whisky which has been donated by local MP Philip Dunne.
There will also be a table-top sale at the hospital on the same day, with the cost of each table being £5.