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West Herts bids farewell to the League of Friends after nearly 60 years

Posted: 22 February 2022

Picture of chairman of West Herts and chairman of the league of Friends together

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust bids a fond and final farewell to the League of Friends as they wrap up business for good and close the doors of their coffee shop at Watford General Hospital on Friday 25 February.

The League of Friends is a charitable organisation which has provided nearly 60 years of support to the trust helping to fund many projects which have improved care for patients. The League’s catering facilities, which are the main source of its income, have been affected by COVID, which has reduced footfall due to fewer staff and visitors being onsite.

The trust has paid tribute to all League of Friends members and volunteers for being such an integral part of West Herts since 1963, with chief nurse, Tracey Carter, saying: “The League of Friends is very much part of the hospital family and they will be missed, not just for their donations but for the friendly service when buying a coffee or snack.”

Norman Tyrwhitt, chair of the League of Friends, pictured above left with West Herts’ chairman Phil Townsend, said: “We have enjoyed our long relationship with Watford General, where we have seen many changes. Our donations have been many and varied and I feel sure that hundreds of thousands of patients will have benefitted from equipment we have funded over the years.”

The League’s parting gift is a substantial donation to Raise (West Herts’ charity), towards the interventional radiology appeal. This will fund a new scanner that will sit at the heart of a new interventional radiology suite transforming surgery for patients. Find out more about the Imagine This… appeal and watch the ‘thank you’ video staff made for the League.

  1. For more information, please contact the communications team on: 01923 436280 or email: westherts.communications@nhs.net. For out of hours media enquiries please call the Watford General Hospital switchboard on 01923 244366 and ask for the on call communications manager.
  2. West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves people from across Hertfordshire, north London and further afield. It operates from three hospitals; Watford General, St Albans City and Hemel Hempstead. The trust has a catchment area of over 500,000 people and is one of the largest employers locally, with around 5,000 staff and volunteers.
  3. For more information about our hospitals, visit www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk. You can also join our followers on Twitter (twitter.com/westhertsNHS) and find us on Facebook (facebook.com/westhertsNHS).