Hello, my name is Sallyanne Hurst and I am Chairman of the Friends of Southampton General Hospital. I was born and educated in Winchester followed by Southampton University Department of Aeronautics. I lived in Bridport for 2 years, followed by 20 years in Seaton, Devon before returning to Southampton in 1999. When I went up to the General Hospital to see what the League of Friends did, as I thought that it would help me make new friends and pass a bit of time!!! The rest is history, as they say.

I would like to bring you a weekly diary of what we do and don’t do as Volunteering as Friends at the “General”.

We have our AGM on 11th October and hope to attract more than the regular few. It is a shame that we have a rather “aged” image BUT we are actually trying very hard to propel ourselves into a much more modern era.
I won a website with a fantastic local firm through the pages of the Echo and we are putting it together as I write. Its going to be very cutting edge and modern and I do hope that it will attract lively would-be Volunteers, Donors and interested people who might just be able to help us help the “General”.
We are sadly having to give up our Areas (Shop and Coffee Bar) in the PRINCESS ANNE HOSPITAL and also our D level Coffee Bar in the GENERAL HOSPITAL because of the Trust’s new plans. It is a very sad time BUT we are also being given the chance to extend our F level Coffee Bar and have really great ideas to make it modern and welcoming to new patients, their visitors and to the Staff.

I do hope that I have interested you and that you might like to re-visit my weekly blog and maybe give me feedback and any ideas that you may have that would help us or would help the hospital in ways that may not have occurred to us as Friends.

Bye for now. Sallyanne