£30,000 of equipment presented to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital by league of friends

The money, a total of £32,000 was raised by the League of Friends of Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

It has been used to purchase three new state-of-the-art retinal cameras.

David Parkinson, Optometrist, said the equipment would help to stop disease which can lead to sight loss.

He said: "The technology is able to detect eye disease well before it needs treatment, meaning the eye can be cared for through diabetes management as opposed to having to treat the eye itself.

"Diabetes is the leading cause of retinopathy - bleeding blood vessels in the retina, at the back of the eye - in the UK.

"Eye screening, using digital photography and bespoke imaging software, can detect the very earliest signs of potentially sight threatening Diabetic Retinopathy."

One of the new cameras will be situated at RSH while the other two will be used throughout the community.

"Each camera is expected to photograph in excess of 5,000 people a year.

Ray Smith, executive chairman of the league of friends, said the donation was an example of how the group's work had a direct effect on the hospital and made a difference to patients.

He said: "All our fundraisers, helpers and supporters are delighted that we have been able to purchase these potentially life-changing cameras, which will be used for the early detection of sight threatening diabetic eye disease.

"One of the cameras replaces an obsolete model at RSH whilst two more shall be based out in the community using special transporter vehicles.

"Images from all three cameras are processed at the Hummingbird Centre at RSH."

The Friends group at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital has donated around £10 million in total over the years.

The money is raised from donations, legacies, fundraising activities and the profits from its shops.

Volunteers also provide all the flower arrangements seen throughout the RSH.

More than 200 people regularly volunteer their time, many of them at the hospital's four on-site shops, which are open seven days a week from early in the morning into the evenings.

Annual donations to the hospital from the Friends group run into hundreds of thousands of pounds, and almost £1 million was given in 2012.

Anyone who wants to get involved in the shops can call 01743 261008 and for general queries on donations, legacies and fundraising, call 01743 261007.