Friends of All Hallows Hospital

The Association of Friends of All Hallows Hospital was formed at an inaugural meeting on the 3rd February 1976 following two pilot meetings. The first meeting was between Dr. Charles Maidment, Mr Hugh Turner (landlord Earsham Queens Head) and Mr Harald Pulford; the second meeting was joined by Fr. Godwin CAH, Mrs Renie Trafford (Town Reeve), and Mr Burton Nursey. 

Prior to the formation of the association fund raising for the hospital had taken place at the Queens Head Earsham organised by Hugh Turner, Harald Pulford & others. Also Miss Joan Mollett aunt to Sister Joy CAH had been organising members and volunteers to work in the hospital arranging flowers and making teas etc.

The purpose of the friends at that time was to raise funds for the hospital which had run at a loss of £3000 during the previous financial year, at that time funds raised were used by the hospital to help with the general running costs. Later when the financial situation of the hospital improved the friends raised funds for specific projects i.e. beds & equipment.

The question as to whether the friends should become registered as Charity was discussed at a meeting on 8th June 1976, it was decided at that time that as the Community of All Hallows was registered as a charity and that the hospital came under that umbrella that the same would apply to the friends.

In the early years the friends had three committees, an executive, which Dr Maidment chaired, membership under the chairmanship of Col Kirke and fundraising whose chairman included Ross Basy-Fisher and Harald Pulford. At the AGM on 17th April 1985 under the chairmanship of Mr Harald Pulford it was decided that that arrangement was rather cumbersome and the constitution was amended to what it is today with just the one committee dealing with all aspects.

Over the years the friends have raised and been left through legacies hundreds of thousand pounds which has been used to purchase all manner of items and equipment for the hospital and have helped to fund alterations to the hospital, our largest legacy was for over £300,000 which was used to build the Day Care & Treatment Centre that is used by many elderly in the area.

Some of the original members are still with us, the longest serving being Shelia Mills who have served as treasurer for over 30 years, Charles Cunningham, Ross Basey-Fisher, Mavin Shulver and Harald Pulford.

Today in 2009 the Friends of All Hallows Hospital have some 150 members, a committee of 18 of which five are executive members, with the Town Reeve of Bungay as President during his or her term of office and Harald Pulford as Honorary Life President. The Friends have eight meetings a year plus an Annual General Meeting in May. An Annual Newsletter is issued.  The AGM can be the time for change. The executive members, if willing to stand again, have to be re-elected and new names for the general committee may be put forward, provided of course there have been some resignations. Alternatively the previous year’s committee can be re-elected en bloc. These meetings are held in the hospital.

The Friends support the newly formed All Hallows Healthcare Trust, sharing their charity number and bank account.

Fund-raising.

The Friends hold three major events each year: the Garden Party in the hospital grounds, a Musical Evening in the Fisher Theatre and the Christmas Bazaar in Ditchingham Village Hall. Other events organised by the Friends could be coffee mornings, brunches, lunches, suppers, antique appraisals, fashion shows, quiz nights, garden question times, concerts, stalls at the Bungay street fairs, cookery demonstrations and Saint’s day dances.

Funds are also received from subscriptions, legacies, donations by local clubs and businesses, in remembrance of patients nursed in the hospital and in lieu of flowers at funerals. All the money raised is used by the hospital in many ways with the best interests of the patients at heart.