THE Ludlow Hospital League of Friends is regrouping after the loss of longtime chairman Peter Corfield.

Mr Corfield, who died last month, aged 82, had been chairman of the highly successful fund raising group for 15 years.

He is replaced by Michael Evans, who has been a member of the League of Friends for the same time.

“Peter is a huge act to follow,” said Mr Evans.

“We are determined to continue as it is business as usual.”

He said that there had already been talks with Katie Turton, the manager at Ludlow Hospital and a shopping list of things that are needed had been drawn up.

Mr Evans said that the League of Friends remain strong with a large membership and a determination to ‘build upon Peter’s enormous legacy.,’

One priority is to get more new people as officers of the group.

Fund raising has been difficult over the past two years because of Covid-19 but now something approaching normality had returned, work would press ahead.

One of the fund raising activities making a come back is the annual ‘bed push’ that will happen on Saturday, July 2.

The League of Friends have raised and spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on facilities at the hospital including making it possible to open a kidney dialysis unit.

This has saved people with kidney failure having to make a time consuming and tiring round trip to Shrewsbury three times a week.

The League of Friends want to see Ludlow Community Hospital at the heart of local medical services.

They believe that it can not only take pressure off acute hospitals like those in Shrewsbury and Telford but also play a part in helping to provide additional space for GP practices in the town.

Before his death, Mr Corfield, who despite being ill, was active up to shortly before he died, said he believed that something along the lines of the proposed new hospital and health village on the Eco Park would have to be considered again.

This was abandoned at the eleventh hour a decade ago because of Government rule changes to NHS spending.