Southlands Hospital League of Friends

The League was started on 7th February1950 by the Shoreham & Southwick Rotary Club and the Inner Wheel and it is interesting to note that the first gift to the hospital were two deck chairs.

From this humble beginning the League has grown and has become part of the local community. For the last seventy years we have been privileged to serve Southlands Hospital both patients and staff with amenities such as televisions, telephones, curtains, furniture etc. to name but a few.

But also providing much needed medical equipment thus enabling the consultants, surgeons and doctors to have the most up to date technology to treat patients this costing many thousands of pounds.

Donations in recent years have included a new entrance for the harness block of Southlands £70,000, £50,000 towards the scanner at Worthing hospital, £25,000 for the Diabetes Centre and £25,000 for Security cameras. More recently the Friends gave £85,000 towards equipment in the new eye care centre as well as physio equipment, seating in dermatology plus many other items throughout the hospital.

Over the years the Friends have given in excess of 1 million pounds to provide much needed facilities/equipment to meet the needs and comfort of staff and patients of Western Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. All of this could not have been achieved without the help of a wonderful band of volunteers, they turn out in all weathers and even at short notice to provide help and

Friends from continuing to fund and supply items to most of the various clinics.

The hard part came when the Friends had to give up their original shop and tea bar to a commercial enterprise under a tendering process implemented by the Trust, however due to some pressure and help from the public a replacement tea bar facility was created in the new Eye Care Centre, although small in size it is still able to provide an excellent service to the patients and staff. If you would like to join the team and volunteer to help in the tea bar, contact the manager on 01903 285222 ext 83637

Our work for the hospital is made possible by the generosity and continuing support of our volunteers and the generosity of the public. If you would like to donate or become a regular subscriber members contact the Hon.Secretary, League of Friends of Southlands Hospital, Eye Care Centre, Southlands Hospital, Upper Shoreham Road, Shoreham-by-Se, West Sussex BN43 6TQ.