The Friends of Raigmore Hospital
The Friends of Raigmore Hospital have been an active Friends group for over thirty years. They were founded shortly after the hospital open to support its development and its patients and over the years they have continuously raised funds for the hospital through their diverse range of fundraising activities. These include wine tasting, a fashion show that brought in approximately £500, and cookery demonstrations. For the demonstrations a local chef prepares meals in front of the guests before allowing them to enjoy their three course meal. This includes a sweet course and wines to compliment the meal.
The Friends also run a shop that is staffed by dedicated volunteers, located in the Play area to the right of the Outpatients entrance. The shop opens every Tuesday and sells a range of gifts, including handmade jewellery. The Friends truly lend their talents to their fundraising activities with Christina Cameron, Chairman of the Friends of Raigmore Hospital, making crystal and silver jewellery, and another member of the Friends making the bead jewellery. The Friends are hoping to move into new premises in the near future so they can open their shop 7 days a week.
With the money raised from their fundraising efforts the Friends have funded a vast range of items and equipment for the hospital. These include a special bath for the inpatient Oncology Unit, a fluid and blanket warming cabinet for patient recovery theatres, a portable non-evasive respirator, a diagnostic scope for the new ENT Ward, a bariatric bed for general use, and monitors for Out Patients to give information and health advice. These monitors have received high praise from the staff at the hospital who say that they keep the patients informed as to how the clinic is running time wise. The screens also provide helpful health information on infection control and hand hygiene messages. They have also refurbished rooms for patients and their relatives and have refurbished a waiting room with new furniture and a stain glass window.
Created 12th April 2012. Updated 2021
The Friends of Raigmore Hospital benefit from Attend membership, which includes comprehensive charity insurance cover. For more information, or to join, please click here
