The Friends support the Hospital of St Cross and the Community Service in Rugby by delivering a variety of voluntary services in the hospital and by donating equipment which improves patient experience or helps bring services to the town.
We have over 170 volunteers and no paid staff.
All the money donated is spent to provide equipment and deliver projects which have improved the patient experience in Rugby.
Our administration costs are kept under tight control and are paid for from earned income only.
Since 1955 we have raised over £4.5m and in the last 10 years have spent over £1.3mon equipment and projects!
In June 2014 The Friends were honoured with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service 2014.
This unique UK national honour was created over a decade ago by Her Majesty to mark the Golden Jubilee in 2002 and to recognise the outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups of volunteers. It has an equivalent status for voluntary groups as the MBE has for individuals. The Friends were one of only 111 groups to receive this recognition and the only one from Warwickshire this year.
Ever since the first hospitals were built in Rugby, up until the establishment of the National Health Service in 1948, hospitals were funded by locally and supported by volunteers.
The Hospital of St Cross was founded in 1882 by the donation of land and a gift of £10,000 from Richard Henry Wood, who also funded the creation of the town’s library. The hospital was opened on 17th July 1884 and was governed by a management board who collected subscriptions and donations from local residents.
This approach ceased when the NHS came into being but in 1955 a group of residents came together to form The League of Friends which provided voluntary support for the hospital.
Email :
Phone: 01788 663754
Address: Friends of the Hospital of St Cross
Brookfield House
Hospital of St Cross
Barby Road
Rugby
CV22 5PX
Registered Charity Number: 218485