Rotary Club of Letchworth Garden City

Friends of the Ernest Gardiner Day Hospital in Letchworth deserve a medal for their latest ambitious fund-raising effort. They are hoping to buy a new ambulance to ferry patients to and from the hospital.

Now Letchworth Garden City Rotarians have come to their aid. And instead of a medal, they have given the League of Friends a cash boost - £400 raised from the launch of their own medal, produced to celebrate the centenary of the town.

The club’s commemorative medal, which comes in gold, silver, bronze and nickel and brass, has been struck in partnership with ICAS-Vilas Fine Art, of Letchworth, The Royal Mint and John Mills, an award-winning medal designer who lives in the area.

Sales of the medal will help support local and other charities. The £400 was raised from a prize draw at the recent medal launch dinner.

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Club President Mike Davies and League of Friends Chairman Jim Morley hand over the cash to a representative from the Hospital.

The Ernest Gardiner Day Hospital provides a unique service to local residents. It is not part of the National Health Service but provides a high standard of healthcare absolutely free. Although run by the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, it relies on voluntary donations to buy new equipment.

League of Friends Chairman Jim Morley - himself a Rotarian - said: “We are very grateful to the club for supporting our appeal. Our current ambulance is getting towards the end of its useful life and needs replacing.”

Mike Davies, President of the Letchworth Garden City Rotary Club, said: “The hospital is the only one of its kind in the country and provides a valuable service. We are delighted to be able to support the appeal.”

May 6, 2003