Friends of Stratford Hospital
Friends of Stratford Hospital is a local charity, first established in 1948, with the primary aim of raising funds to provide equipment and other comforts, not readily available from the NHS, which support the needs and health and wellbeing of patients, their loved ones and the hospital staff.
The Friends' serve the community of Stratford-on-Avon, as well as the surrounding villages, who require cancer, physiotherapy, or ophthalmology treatment, to name some of the services.
The charity relies on volunteers, donations, and other support to maximise the potential of this worthy cause and we welcome all assistance.
The charity consists of a board of trustees, led by Chair, Ursula Russell, an active committee, and numerous volunteers.
The Patron of the charity is Emma Holman-West, a highly regarded and prominent figure in the local business community
A Brief History
Back in 1884 the first hospital was opened in an attractive Victorian building on the Alcester Road and later expanding into the Old Workhouse buildings on Arden Street, and after the introduction of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948, these buildings were replaced by new ones.
The League of Friends, a group set up to champion the hospital and raise funds to provide those things, not readily available from the NHS but which support the comfort and wellbeing of patients, their loved ones, and the hospital staff, was set up by way of support.
In 1996 the original South Wing was sold to a hotel chain, which fortunately retained some of the original Victorian features including the clock tower and much of the façade. At this time, acute services were transferred to Warwick Hospital.
