Young holidaymaker David Hamm knew just how to help pay for a much-needed piece of medical equipment at St Mary’s Hospital; he would defy the freezing conditions on Sandown beach and take a brief swim.
Watched admiringly by staff and fellow guests at the Royal Pier Hotel, on New Year’s Day, David (16), from Hemel Hempstead, bravely dashed down the beach and straight into the unwelcoming brine.
Although he quickly returned to dry land his escapade was still enough to net £160 in sponsorship money; this meant that together with money raised throughout the year by the hotel the Friends had enough to pay for an £800 pulse oximeter.
The need for the oximeter had been flagged up by Karen Byrne, Intermediate Care Co-Ordinator. “It is really useful in ascertaining oxygen levels of people in the hospital and in their homes and nursing homes,” she said. “We are extremely grateful to the Friends for accepting our bid and, of course, to everyone at the Royal Pier – especially young David.”
Vincent Thompson, the Friends’ General Manager, said, “It is thanks to the generosity of people across the Island that the Friends were able to approve bids in 2010 for equipment and facilities totalling just over £110,000.
“If our registered charity is to continue to provide such valuable top-up help for the local NHS we have to hope that even in these difficult financial times we can continue to receive further handsome donations and legacies.”
Image: David in the Royal Pier Hotel with manager June O’Reilly and Vincent, General Manager of the Friends.
