On Saturday 19 July Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust welcomed over 1,000 local residents, families and health and care partners to its fourth Community Day event for a behind-the-scenes look at the hospital’s services, and to meet the dedicated staff who provide care.
The event which took place at St Peter’s Hospital saw visitors of all ages enjoying a wide range of hands-on activities. These included interactive and informative displays about different services provided at the trust, Q&A panels about the different careers available in the NHS, tours of our Abbey Birth Centre and urology services as well as a glimpse into the different areas that are not usually open to the public such as the boiler house and sterile services.
Local partner organisations and charities were also present at the event, providing information about the support they offer for people across Surrey and how they work with the trust. These included Action For Carers Surrey, South East Coast Ambulance, Surrey Fire and Rescue, Woking and Sam Beare Hospice, Macmillan Cancer Support, Healthwatch Surrey, and Radio Wey, who are celebrating their 60th anniversary this year.
The feedback from attendees on the day was overwhelmingly positive, with comments such as “Amazing experience for both children and adults. Great way to learn new things” and “Today was really fun, me and my family did a lot including getting our faces painted, doing the treasure hunt and learning about germs and all sort of things. I advise people to come.”
The event was a huge success and even helped to raise over £700 for the Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals’ Chairty through their tea party. The funds raised on the day will go towards supporting patients and staff over the coming year.
Louise Stead, Group Chief Executive of Ashford and St Peter’s and Royal Surrey, commended the event’s success: "It was a joy to see so many members of our community engaging with our teams and learning more about the incredible work happening every day at the trust. Events like this strengthen the bond between our hospital and the people we serve."
Follow this link to see more photos from the day.
