Farewell to hospital friends group

Friends of Lochmaben Hospital, formerly the League of Friends, will cease with immediate effect and all residual funds are to be donated directly to the hospital’s endowment fund.
The group has supported the hospital since 1975, and three of the current members have been there since its origins.
Anne Ritchie, secretary, explained that it was with great sadness that the decision was made.
She said: “It had become difficult to recruit new members, it was no longer able to be affiliated to Lochmaben Action Group (who assisted by overseeing finances) and it was also felt the original purposes of the group were becoming more difficult to fulfil in general.
“Huge gratitude is extended to all present and past members for their contributions and especially those members who have been there since the group’s early origins – Irene McMichael, Betty Hutt and Jim Davidson.”
Although the hospital has gone through many changes over the years, the ‘Friends’ have supported patients by not only raising funds to provide amenities unavailable through the NHS but also providing entertainment through concerts, games and challenges as well as visits in a minibus to the local point-to-point/cafes and other places of interest.
More recently, the annual art exhibition contributed in not only raising funds for the hospital, but also providing a looked forward to community event.