Rachel Roberts and Simon Morgan from Wessex Group
Dorset’s Wessex Group has thrown its fundraising efforts this year behind Salisbury Hospital’s Stars Appeal.
Last year the group, headquartered in Shaftesbury, raised around £6,000 for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.
Now it is lining up a variety of fundraising events to get behind its charity of the year for 2019.
The Stars Appeal is Salisbury District Hospital’s charity.
Each year, projects funded by the charity help thousands of local people get better faster, return home sooner and have a more positive hospital experience.
The Stars Appeal is aiming to raise £1million this year to fund projects which offer direct, practical support to patients and their families, over and above what the NHS provides.
Simon Morgan and Rachel Roberts from Wessex Group with Salisbury Hospital staffessex
These include cancer support, help for older and dementia patients, a child friendly children’s ward and parents’ accommodation, hospital chaplains, free wi-fi and advanced equipment in key areas such as cancer surgery, cardiac care and the Neonatal Unit as well as enhancing the patient environment across the hospital.
The family-owned Wessex Group has more than 200 staff most of whom have used the hospital in one capacity or another.
Director Simon Morgan said: “We wanted to choose a charity this year that helps as many people as possible.
“Backing the Stars Appeal follows on nicely from our support for the air ambulance last year.
“The money raised for the hospital makes a huge difference to everyone who uses the services and we are keen to do our bit to help.
“We had a tour of the hospital and saw at first hand the difference the extra money makes – across all the departments.
“We’ll be organising events through the year to support the wonderful work that goes on at the hospital.”
Mr Graham Branagan, cancer surgeon and Stars Appeal Ambassador, said “We are so grateful to everyone at the Wessex Group for choosing our hospital charity, the Stars Appeal, as their charity of the year.
“The money they raise will help local people in hospital by funding projects that provide direct, practical support to patients such as free wi-fi, accommodation for the parents of sick children, recreational trips for people with spinal injuries and support for cancer patients.”
Full details of the projects the Wessex Group are supporting can be found at http://www.starsappeal.org/our-wish-list/
Notes to editors: Wessex Group is a collection of companies based in Shaftesbury, Dorset, but working across the south. It began in 1963 when Tony Morgan set up his own electrics firm. The group now consists of companies that install and/or maintains electrics and fire and security systems. Tony’s sons Simon and Alistair now head the firm.
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