VITAL new equipment has been provided at Tenbury Community Hospital.

The equipment comes as a result of the latest donation from a local amateur dramatic group that has raised thousands of pounds over a number of years for the hospital.

Most of the money from the Brimfield Amateur Dramatic Society comes from the staging of an annual pantomime early in the new year.

Using money from the society the hospital has now been able to purchase a special magnifying lamp that is used in the minor injuries unit.

But that is not all and a number of thermometers and thermometer covers have also been provided thanks to the latest fund raising.

“We always try to do something for the hospital which is a very important local facility,” said Carol Powell of the Brimfield Amateur Dramatic Society.

“It is important that we help local charities that directly benefit people that live in the area.”

The society perform two productions a year and the money for Tenbury Hospital came from the pantomime Cinderella that was staged at the Brimfield Village Hall in February.

It played four shows that were attended by more than 100 people who saw each performance.

As well as making sure that the charities are local the society also has a strong track record for helping those that work with people who are sick.

This time it supported five different charities with the biggest sum going to the St Michael’s Hospice but donations were also made to The Parkinson’s Group, British Heart Foundation and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

In the 13 years since it was set up the society has been able to donate more than £27,000 to good causes.

Tenbury Community Hospital provides care and treatment for victims of minor injuries.

It does not carry out operations as they were stopped two years ago but the Hospital League of Friends has said that it has hopes that it may be possible to restart some minor surgical procedures in the future.

Over the years the Hospital League of Friends has supported the facility with hundreds of thousands of pounds and made a contribution that enabled major improvements and refurbishments.

These included renovation of the wards and facilities that enable the hospital to meet modern day standards with respect to the separation of male and female patients.

The hospital provides both in-patient and out-patient services to the local community including 16 general practitioner beds. It also offers physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and a minor injuries unit which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Tenbury Community Hospital also offers rehabilitation for people recovering and also provides palliative care for patients with life limiting illnesses.

It also serves as a transition for patients from the local area that have perhaps undergone surgery at a hospital in Birmingham or Worcester and are well enough to have less intensive support but not yet able to return home.