Fundraisers reach £15,000 in Newport X-ray appeal
Fundraisers have collected £15,000 towards upgrading Newport's ageing X-ray machines.
It's the first milestone in an effort to raise £150,000 for the new equipment, which will still be based at the Cottage Care Centre off Upper Bar, but will be in line with state of the art digital technology being installed at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
If the equipment is not upgraded, patients will instead have to travel to the nearest unit at Princess Royal Hospital.
It comes as campaigners revealed their new funding thermometer, which will help people in the town find out how much has been raised.
The thermometer, which has been organised by Newport Rotary Lite, will be based at the League Of Friends shop in Baddeley Court, and will update the amount raised regularly.
Dr Nick Tindall, X-ray appeal chairman, said “Newport Rotary Lite have been working closely with the fabulous League Of Friends and the two GP Practices from the beginning of the appeal, but we want this to be a community wide appeal. It’s about the Newport community pulling together to get an excellent facility for the people of Newport.
"Part of that is everybody being able to see how the appeal is doing, and the Lite thermometer is just what the doctor ordered.
Terrific
"We’re starting to get some terrific support from individuals and organisations across the town.
"Patients were very generous at the flu clinics organised by both practices, the wonderful running club have given us £1,000, people are organising quizzes and dress up days, and others have given individual donations.
"It doesn’t matter if it’s a pound, a hundred or a thousand pounds – it all helps Newport to look after itself.”
Dr Tindall said he was sure the appeal was going to be a big success.
“We’ve raised an amazing £15,000 already, and with the League Of Friends, Newport Rotary Lite, and Wellington Road and Linden Hall Practices working together I’m sure we’ll make it," he said.
"But £150,000 is a lot of money to raise so the message is people of Newport, please support us to get the best facilities we can for our town.”
Anyone who can help with the appeal or who has ideas can contact Dr Tindall via xrayappeal@gmail.com
Donations can be made payable to Newport League Of Friends to sort code 30-96-02 account number 07151470.
The Cottage Care Centre cares for elderly people and those living with dementia within the community, and about 1,600 people a year use the 15-year-old X-ray machine there, though it is increasingly outdated.
