Surrey luncheon club raises thousands to support NHS charity

A luncheon club in Surrey has raised an incredible £8,862 for Royal Surrey Charity.

The White Horse Luncheon Club, which is based in Hascombe and has been running since the 1970s, chose to support two projects with the money raised: a new ECG machine for Royal Surrey’s specialist children’s ward, Hascombe, which will help diagnose heart problems in children, and the Cancer and Surgical Innovation Centre. The new centre – a project also backed by MP Jeremy Hunt – will mean thousands more patients are able to receive surgical treatment every year.

The money was raised at the lunch club’s annual auction, with members generously donating lots and then bidding on the items.

Tony Singer, who is Chairman of the White Horse Lunch Club, said:

"It has always been our aim to ensure, whenever possible, that our charitable donations are for the benefit of the local community. We are especially pleased that we have been able to make a contribution to the wonderful work done by the NHS and our local hospital.

“It is particularly pleasing that we were once again able to make a donation to Hascombe Ward, given that it is named after the village in which The White Horse is located. A number of our members and their families have experienced first-hand the surgical excellence provided by Royal Surrey, and we hope that our donation to the new Cancer and Surgical Innovation Centre will enable the hospital to treat even more patients from the local community.

Sue Schofield, Clerk for Hascombe Ward, and Robin Legge, Head of Fundraising at Royal Surrey Charity, were invited to join club members for their July lunch at the White Horse in Hascombe.

Robin Legge said: 

“On behalf of Royal Surrey Charity, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone at the White Horse Luncheon Club. We feel very privileged that the members chose to support these two fantastic projects at Royal Surrey. The Cancer and Surgical Innovation Centre is a game-changing initiative that will enable Royal Surrey to establish one of Europe’s leading surgical centre’s right here on our door step; while the heart monitor for our children’s ward will make a real difference to our younger patients.”

Royal Surrey Charity funds exceptional care at Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust by providing state of the art equipment, redeveloping and renovating wards to make sure the hospital is welcoming and comfortable for patients, investing in staff health and wellbeing and funding ground-breaking research.

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