Next event: 12th Sep 2010 more...

About Us

The Friends of Woking Community Hospital is a voluntary support organisation which was registered as a Charity in 1970 although its roots can be traced back to the mid 1930’s.

Over recent years The Friends have worked to raise over £300,000 which has been donated to the Hospital for improved facilities and equipment. Photographs of some of these facilities are shown throughout this website.

The Friends is governed by a Committee of Trustees.  Twice a year the Trustees consider the Hospital’s suggestions for equipment or amenities that could not otherwise be afforded out of the normal Hospital budget.

This website has been designed to bring the work of The Friends to a wider audience but particularly to the 100,000 people who were cared for by the Hospital and its dedicated staff in the last 12 months.

If you would like to help too, choose the appropriate page to find out how, or simply e-mail enquiries@fwch.org.uk

In the year to May 2009, we were especially privileged to be chosen as the beneficiary of the Mayor's Charity Appeal. We organised or were involved with over 30 separate events and with great leadership from the then Mayor amd Mayoress, Cllr and Mrs Peter Ankers. Over £43,000 was raised . Our principal target was a Retinal Tomograph, a computerised camera which can detect the eye disease, Glaucoma, much earlier than has hitherto been possible. According to the RNIB, glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness in the UK.

The new Retinal Tomograph funded by The Friends

The new Retinal Tomograph funded by The Friends

Reproduced courtesy of the Surrey Advertiser
Back row from left to right:
James Gemmell,Chairman of The Friends, Richard Condon,Consutant Ophthalmic Surgeon,
the Mayor and Mayoress of Woking, Cllr Peter and Mrs Gill Ankers,
Yvonne Ryan, Lead for Scheduled Care, Surrey Community Health Services.
Front (seated) Laura Chatwin, Past Chairman, The Friends.

In addition to this major project, The Friends have also funded other items for patients including for example a new television in the outpatients waiting room, pressure mattresses for beds and newspapers for long stay patients in the Bradley ward.