Shropshire Star

Proud day for Shropshire as Duke Of Gloucester opens centre

The Shropshire Star's Shirley Tart joined The Duke of Gloucester on his visit to Shrewsbury.

Published
Proud moment – The Duke with Dr Barbara Marsh, former chairman of the hospital

He arrived early, left late and shook 100 hands in between.

The Duke of Gloucester also left behind an afternoon of very special memories. Memories which, for many, rolled back the years to when Bernard Lingen was Mayor of Shrewsbury in 1979 and, along with accountant friend Frank Davies, launched the Cobalt Unit Trust Fund to raise money for a new radiotherapy department at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Yesterday, John and Linda Lingen, Bernard Lingen's son and daughter-in-law and Geoff and Marisha Davies, Frank Davies's son and daughter-in-law proudly joined staff and other guests in a tribute to parents who had inspired all that the Lingen-Davies Centre is today. Frank's 91-year-old widow Pat was not well enough to join the celebrations but Marisha said: "She was really sorry to miss it all." Geoff added: "I can remember idad coming home at night with bags and bags of money which had been raised and donated and we'd sit at the kitchen table counting it."

Unveiling a plaque to officially open the new, £5 million purpose built Cancer and Haematology Unit, the Duke of Gloucester said: "It's with great gratitude that we now have this centre and the teams who know how to use it. As years go by there will be more progress and more technology but, for now, you are the cutting edge."

The Duke of Gloucester also paid proud tribute to his mother, the late Princess Alicewho had opened the hospital maternity unit in 1968.

Yesterday was a great celebration for all who had made the centre a reality.

Project director Julia Clarke paid tribute to the hundreds of local fund raisers who had chipped in to raise the money. She said: "The majority of the donations came through the tireless efforts of individuals with open days, tea parties, raffles, donations from anniversaries, all reflecting the generosity of people in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales. What's more, the project was completed on time – and £36 under budget!"

Among larger donations was £1.1million from the Shropshire Blood Trust Fund, the charity started by consultant haematologist Dr Nigel O'Connor. The O'Connor Haematology Unit now stands in his name. And his granddaughter, two-year-old Matilda, presented the Duke of Gloucester with Shropshire Brock Hall Farm cheese.

While he also received a model of a Duke of Gloucester steam engine from Emma Bussey, a former Shropshire Star Woman of the Year who was treated at the unit 10 years ago and then raised £100,000 to say thank you.

Emma, from Oswestry, is still money raising and they named the phlebotomy ward for her.

The Duke said:

"This engine will be a happy reminder of the happy day we've had to celebrate your new centre."

  • See also: Busy day as Duke of Gloucester pays a flying visit to Shropshire

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