THE CHARITY which supports the Hospital of St Cross has received a record donation from generous savers at a local building society.
The Friends of St Cross have received £33,280 from Coventry Building Society, thanks to the support of its members.
The annual donation is based on one per cent of the average savings balances held in the society’s Supporters Accounts for St Cross over a 12 month period.
It is the 15th time the society has made such a donation – meaning it has now given a total of £332,660 to the Friends over the years.
Willy Goldschmidt, Chairman of the Friends of St Cross, said: “The pandemic has had a devastating effect on our regular fundraising income and so this annual donation, made possible by the community’s investment in the Coventry Building Society’s Supporters Account, is all the more important.
“It will enable the charity to continue to make a real difference to the experience of patients in Rugby. The donation this year is almost 50 per cent greater than the amount we received last year.”
He added that this year had been one of several records and achievements, in spite of the pandemic.
He said: “Not only have we supported the opening of the Maple Unit, which is providing intravenous chemotherapy in Rugby for the first time, but we have supported significant requests for equipment which enhance the Glaucoma Service and hand and ankle surgery.
“The total we have committed to spend this year is approaching a record £300,000. This has helped us pass a milestone of donating equipment and supporting projects with a total value of £4million.
“What is more, our volunteers are now delivering more hours of service than we did before the pandemic struck. None of this would have been possible without the support generated by the connection between the hospital, the community and the Friends – which is exemplified by the Coventry Building Society’s members investment in the Supporters Account.”
Richard Field, Head of Communications for the Coventry Building Society, said: “It was great to visit the Hospital of St Cross and see at first hand the excellent work that is done by the Friends volunteers and the difference that our and other donations have made to the services available at the hospital.
“The Friends should be justifiably proud about all that they achieve year in and year out – and in particular in their response to the pandemic.”
