THE LEAGUE OF FRIENDS OF SEVENOAKS HOSPITAL
COMMITTEE REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2023
Following on from our very busy year in 2022/23 when we undertook three major projects – the creation of the Sevenoaks Emporium, the replanting of the garden at the front of the main hospital and the refurbishment of the Tea Room, all of which I dealt with in my report at the AGM held in June 2023 – we have had a relatively quiet year in 2023/24 concentrating on building up our activities in the Tea Room.
We now have over 30 volunteers carrying out various shifts in the Tea Room which enables us to open from 10am (sometimes from 8am and often from 9am) to 4pm on Mondays to Thursdays and on Friday mornings. As well as generating a good profit to help fund our donations to the hospital, the Tea Room provides a welcoming environment to patients and visitors. As more patients attend the clinics from further afield, such as Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone and Medway, we get a lot of comments telling us how much this is appreciated. This must reflect well on Sevenoaks Hospital as a centre of excellence that is also very welcoming. We have invited our Volunteers to the AGM as they are a vital and integral part of the League’s activities. The Treasurer’s report at the AGM will elaborate on the income and profit generated by the Tea Room activities.
In the year to 30 September 2023 we have replaced a number of the televisions on the ward. The originals were provided by the League in 2017 and, inevitably, a number have given up the ghost. We also provided personal lockers for staff in the Urgent Treatment Centre and we have continued to purchase newspapers for the ward and to provide funds to the Sevenoaks Flower Club so that they can enhance the hospital reception areas with their wonderful flowers.
Since September 2023 the newspapers and flowers funding has continued, we have provided a DVD player and art materials for the in-patients and a bubble machine and toys to help distract infants and children giving blood in the Phlebotomy department. There has been one major piece of equipment provided – a meter to help the Midwives measure jaundice in babies so that they do not have to be sent to Pembury for the initial diagnosis. As usual, we have made provision for Christmas festivities. This year we provided hampers for staff working on the ward and in the Urgent Treatment Centre on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Although there have been some appointments to and resignations from the Committee over the last few years, there has been little significant change since 2009/10 when Roger Hope took over as President after the death of Jonathan Balcon, I replaced Roger as Chairman and Chris Dent and Chrissie Philip became Treasurer and Secretary, respectively. It is time for change and Roger has decided to stand down as President and three of our very long serving committee members, Rindy Bakker, Pat Downing and Maurice Short, wish to retire. Roger is willing to continue on the committee and we do not want to lose the experience of Rindy, Pat and Maurice so we will be proposing that they be appointed Honorary Vice Presidents at the AGM. Sadly, Stan Willis has also decided to step down from the committee due to his health. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of these people for their long and valuable service on the League of Friends.
I plan to give up my role as Chairman at the AGM and to put my name forward to succeed Roger Hope as President at the AGM and Chrissie Philip will be relinquishing her role as Honorary Secretary but will continue on the committee. We have two nominations for new committee members, Mandy and Neil Vickers. If anyone else would like to put their name forward either for the role of President or to join the committee they should notify the Secretary before the meeting. Contact details are on the attached Notice of Meeting.
Finally, I thank all the committee and all the volunteers for all the work they have put in over the last year.
Ian Philip Chairman
May 2024
Re¢eipts 216 f¥1 ral&kng YèeÈlits 176 Sale of ch09 Cards 618 3.616 GtfroM Se¥)& C¢ 3.498 6.785 +lospal Drinkts Alllchin2 435 8.75 Equfjp) Fi5amj 12, &624 Furbj r8is#wJ exPdI1 cl81M8& ¢ardB and otheracb%8 128 16,533 10,475 Pnttsw ar staknr ar Wette Lotterylcence 318 nthy 35 19.516 -10.759 N¢1 rn¢eiptsl(p4ym•ntsi forthe yJ8r AttUm8ted fund at 30 September 2022 A¢¢unxAated fund at JO September 2023 112J7 74.636 65.395 £85.873 £74.636 Represented by: pAe$S wemijm ae¢ty&rt Hh thest tLness aGco 21.334 S5 14.484 £85.873 19.950 4,632 RewnWbychartes ISORP FRS 102) Chth5Art2011. Cttii4topher D•nt 18n l>hilip
I report to the tteeS on my Èxamination ofthe accounts of the The Lea8ue of Frrends ofthe Sevenoaks HO*1$ lthe'CharWI fDr the arended 30 Septemb•r 2023. As the trustees of the tharFty you are responslble for the ppardt5Oft of the accounts in accordan with the reqU1merrt5 of the Charitres Act 20111.the ky). I report In r•Srt OF my examination ofthe Charit$ accounts carrled out under sertlon 145 of the 2011 Act and In cènwngout myexamination folkwed all theappllcable Olrections by the Charitycommission uThJ•rs•ction 14S1511b) of the ACL I have completed my examination. I confim) thatno material matteT5 have to myattention in conrection wtth the examination gin8 me cause to believe that in any material respect.. L accounting records were not kpt In respect of the Trustas r¢quFred by 5ertion 130 of the Art: or Z the accourts do not wlth trtt)se records. I have no conM$ and ha¥e com across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this rekY)rt in order to enable a proper undtrstandire of the axounts to be reathed. &8ned: Name: Graham Austin Dare: