The Dorset County Show has generously donated £10,000 to the appeal for the new Dorset County Hospital Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit.
The new department is much-needed in the county – originally built to serve an estimated 22,000 people, Dorset County Hospital now treats more than 50,000 people a year in the Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit. To meet this massive increase in demand, the hospital is currently constructing a new Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit which will not only significantly increase its capacity, but is also being designed specifically to transform the experience for patients and their families.
Nicki Ralph, Chair of the Show in 2023, said, “This cause is close to my heart – and it could be close to anyone’s. Many across Dorset will be helped by this life-saving service. Though we all hope that neither we nor our loved ones will ever need the Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit, when we do, we are forever grateful.”
The funds raised by the County Show were presented to the Dorset County Hospital Charity, which has launched a £2.5m Capital Appeal to further improve facilities enhancing patient care and staff wellbeing.
Simon Pearson, Head of Charity at Dorset County Hospital, expressed, “We’d like to express our sincere thanks to James, Nicki, the rest of the Dorset County Show and everyone involved in helping to achieve such a fantastic result for the Appeal. This donation will be ringfenced to support the provision of relatives’ overnight accommodation on the Critical Care Unit and will make a huge difference to the experience of families visiting loved ones in the hospital.”
Mary-Jane Attwood, Appeal Officer, added, “We thank the Dorset County Show team and all their supporters for their generous donation to the Appeal. We know that this reflects a huge amount of hard work and commitment over the last year. We also greatly appreciate being selected as the Show’s Charity of the Year and the opportunity this gave us to raise awareness for the Appeal and to meet with so many wonderful local people and local businesses, many of whom we are continuing to work with as the Appeal progresses.”
James Cox, Show Organiser, remarked, “We are so proud to have raised such a significant amount for this vital cause. We organised numerous fundraising events in 2023, with the pinnacle being the County Show. The hospital expansion is vital to all in Dorset, we are pleased the County Show could do its part to support.”
