ON behalf of the Friends of Evesham Community Hospital may I express sincere appreciation for the generosity of the public in supporting the collection at the Morrisons store on September 5 and 6.

About £1,100 was raised, and it will be used to purchase equipment and additional facilities for patients, staff and visitors to the hospital.

All donations and fund-raising collections are used solely for the benefit of patients. Equipment such as a portable ultrasound for detecting Down's syndrome in babies, exercise items for use in the physiotherapy department, an IV therapy pump, special seats for the Willows ward and billirubinometers totalling about £69,000 have been purchased over the past 12-18 months.

Everyone involved with the Friends are volunteers and no expenses are incurred for the work they do.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those volunteers who gave of their time to collect with thanks to Morrisons for their continued support in allowing the Friends the use of their premises for this very worthwhile cause.

Frances Smith

Chairman

Friends of Evesham Community Hospital