The Friends provide equipment, refurbishment of facilities, enhancements to services and items of comfort in cases where The Trust is unable to provide the appropriate funds. We do so thanks to the generosity of members of the public, through their donations, membership subscriptions, legacies, and profits from the Friends Shop and Trolley Service, and their new online shop.
Our remit extends across the full range of services offered by the Trust, both hospital in-patients and out-patients and those attending community healthcare services.
Some of the grants awarded in 2025
(£3,935) A videolaryngoscope blade for the Neonatal Unit. Thank you note says “On behalf of the neonatal team I would like to thank you all for your kind donation to allow us to purchase a video laryngoscope for our neonatal unit. This is helping us to prepare and train for the crucial procedure of intubation in critically unwell babies by allowing us to practice regularly at any time – something that we have not been able to do before. Thank you!”
Dilshad Marikar
Paediatric Consultant
West Suffolk Hospital
(£9,690) An Eye-Gaze Device to use with students who have profound and multiple learning disabilities, empowering these students to communicate more effectively by allowing them to express their needs, thoughts and emotions through the use of their eyes only.
(£5,268) A machine (GE VScan Air CL) providing ultrasound support for cannulation – being used by the CT Scan team in Radiology, to assist with inserting needles into veins that have become difficult to access due to a patient’s vein intensive treatment programme. This minimises the risk of pain and infection for the patient, and increases the CT team’s efficiency.
(£12,374) An Operace broken screw removal set – providing instruments for the Day Surgery Unit to assist with removing metal plates and screws in patients, particularly where the screws are of an older design or possibly broken. This is necessary in order to enable natural bone growth (in children) and/or to facilitate future surgeries.
(£1,200)Expiratory Muscle Strength Training devices for patients suffering from Motor Neurone Disease and Parkinsons Disease, to improve swallow safety, respiratory strength and voice clarity.
(£5,040) Electrical safety tester with in-built ECG machine tester for the team who keep the medical equipment within the Trust safe and operational
Along with multiple small grants to various departments across the Trust and associated Community Services.