SaTH calls on local businesses to support plans to celebrate 70 years of the NHS

31 May 2018

The Trust which runs Shropshire’s two acute hospitals is calling on local businesses to support their plans to celebrate 70 years of the NHS.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which runs Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital and The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, will celebrate the 70^th year of the NHS with a Charity Fun Day and Fun Run on Saturday 7 July.

And one of the ways local businesses can get involved is by donating gifts to put into 500 goodie bags for those taking part in the fun run. Raffle and tombola prizes are also needed.

The ‘call to arms’ was launched today by Julia Clarke, Director of Corporate Governance at SaTH, with the support of Peter Guy, President of the Shropshire Chamber of Commerce, and Clive Knowles, owner of the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry who have sponsored the goodie bags.

Julia said: “Participants are already getting a special commemorative NHS 70 medal and now we are asking local businesses to help us fill 500 goodie bags so we can give them out at the finish line.

“The British Ironwork Centre has kindly sponsored the bags and now all we need to do is fill them up. If you are able to support us please get in touch by emailing us and put the words ‘Goodie Bags’ in the subject title.”

Peter Guy added: “SaTH is our local hospital trust and we are extremely proud of everyone who works so tirelessly to help us and our family and friends in times of need.

“It is very rare that the hospital trust asks much of the business community but when they do I would like to think we can do our best to help, regardless of how big or small the gesture. Every little bit helps!

“It may be that you are not in a position to donate prizes but maybe you are able to offer staff to help volunteer on the day, or perhaps you would like to offer your services for something else further down the line. I know from my conversations with people at the hospitals that they would really appreciate any support they can get.”

One way in which businesses can support their local hospitals is by becoming a corporate sponsor and by nominating SaTH Charity as your Charity of the Year. To find our more please email Andrew.james@sath.nhs.uk

The 5km Fun Run will start at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital at 10.30am on 7 July – people can sign up by visiting www.sath.nhs.uk – and will be followed immediately afterwards by the Charity Fun Day (11am-5pm).

The celebratory Fun Day will feature a ‘Through the Decades’ theme, with each sectioned into activities such as:

• The “Foodie Forties” – including the Rapid Relief BBQ Team and a smoothie bike
• The “Fun Fifties” – including an inflatable nerf gun arena and bubble football
• The “Swinging Sixties” – including music from Get Your Wigle On and The Shropshire Rock Choir
• The “Sensational Seventies” – including Jake Evans the storyteller and an NHS 70 Roadshow
• The “Exercise Eighties” – including health checks and representatives from local communities, including Crossbar Coaching.
• “Natures Nineties” – where our Blue Butterfly Appeal will be launched to raise money for SaTH’s Dementia Appeal.
• The “Magnificent Millennium” – including cake stands, fruit juices, wrap carts and stalls from our charity supporters
• “The Future” – including information about hospital reconfiguration, our work with the Virginia Mason Institute and visits from our friends at the 202 Field Hospital

The Fun Day will be officially opened at 1pm with the unveiling of our commemorative sculpture that is being produced for us by The British Ironwork Centre using obsolete hospital equipment.

All proceeds made from the Fun Day and Fun Run will be divided between SaTH Charity’s ‘End of Life Care Swan Fund’ and ‘Living Well With Dementia Appeal’.