At the start of the year, the League was able to provide much needed chairs for the waiting areas in the Outpatients Department, as well as a second riser-recliner chair for the Ward dayroom. Other purchases included kitchen equipment for the community nurses based at the Hospital.
At the Annual General Meeting, which was very well attended, the League was delighted to welcome Neil Macdonald, Chief Executive of the Trust, who gave an overview of the Trust, led an interesting discussion, and welcomed suggestions from members. As a result of one suggestion, the Hospital’s website now lists the services available at Buckingham Hospital. We said a formal goodbye to Mrs Margaret Clarke, a long-serving trustee and Membership Secretary, and to Mr Brian Clarke who has kept out of the limelight but has given invaluable support in maintaining the League’s database and sifting through emails. However, both Margaret and Brian continue to give the League their active support.
In June, the Hospital staff organised a VE Day celebration for the Ward’s patients and their visitors, aided by trustees Ros Hutt and Heather Harbord who organised the Tombola stall. It was a hugely entertaining and stimulating afternoon and raised £450 for the League.
In July, League trustee Ros Hutt was thanked for fifteen years of volunteering at the Hospital. Ros has been tireless in running the Ward tea trolley and boosting the morale of the patients. The photograph below shows Clare Ovens, Ward Sister, presenting Ros with the certificate which recognises her outstanding service.
Later in the year, the League purchased accessible greenhouses to help with patients’ rehabilitation and four pressure cushions with decommissioning alarms. Our major ongoing expenses were again milk and fruit for staff, newspapers and magazines, a contribution towards the upkeep of the gardens, servicing of the hospital car, vouchers for all the hospital staff at Christmas, and Christmas gifts for the patients.
However, the League’s major contribution to the Hospital during 2025 was the conversion of the defunct ward bathroom into a state of the art shower room. This has been an ambition for many years, but it has been thwarted by the inability of the BHT to fund a project manager for the necessary works. However, after further discussion with the Trust, the League agreed to fund a project manager as well as the works themselves. Thus the Trust took over responsibility for the whole project, while the League provided the necessary funding (c.£40,000). This seems to be the way we will manage any major projects in the future.
The New State-of the-Art Shower Room Funded by the League
The League’s Chairman and President cut the ribbon to open the new shower room, watched by trustees and Ward Sister Clare Ovens
In December, the League organised its traditional Carol Concert given by the Lenborough Singers, together with accompanying refreshments, and at Christmas it gave John Lewis/Waitrose vouchers to each of the Hospital’s 140 staff as well as presents to all the patients on the ward.
Carol Singing at the Hospital
Finally, our thanks to everyone for their tremendous support in 2025, and especially to those who made such generous donations in memory of Mr Richard Faithful and of Mrs Josie Jerrams (a long-standing supporter of the League). We wish you a happy and healthy 2026.