Stars Appeal thanks Salisbury community for 2023 support
Thousands of us, or our loved ones, were helped at Salisbury District Hospital this year
Salisbury District Hospital charity, Stars Appeal, has thanked the local community for its incredible support during 2023.
The charity, which has helped tens-of-thousands of people during their time at our hospital this year, saw records tumble at their flagship event, Walk for Wards.
Head of Fundraising for the charity, Dave Cates, says they can’t do what they do, without our support.
“Everything that the Stars Appeal does, is made possible by that generosity,” he said, adding: “Thank you to everyone who donates, in whatever way.”
There are many ways people support Stars Appeal, such as collection boxes, donation forms or sponsoring someone to take part in something.
And one of those events is the Walk for Wards, held at Wilton House, which saw more than 2,000 participants this year.
The event raised a record £157,000 for the charity.
Dave said: “To see all those people at Wilton House, wearing signs on their backs, saying they were raising money for the hospital, because of the care they or a loved one had received, was just incredible.
“To raise such a sum, is fantastic.”
But for Dave, that recording-breaking sum isn’t the high point of the year.
“To come to the end of another year and, thanks to the generosity of our supporters, to be able to benefit tens of thousands of local people, is the greatest achievement for our charity, that’s the real high point.”
The generosity has come amid the tightening of purse-strings across the country as the cost-of-living crisis has pinched more and more.
“It’s been a really difficult time for people and to think they can still find a way to support the Stars Appeal, despite the circumstances they may be facing, we are humbled by that,” Dave said, adding: “We will always go forward trying to raise funds to enhance this hospital.”
2023 achievements
Aside from the best-ever Walk for Wards event, in terms of funds raised, there have been many other achievements for the Stars Appeal this year.
“We’ve been able to do a huge amount of work around the hospital. Some of that has been continuing ongoing projects that the Stars Appeal provides.”
These projects have included accommodation for parents of poorly children or babies, supporting cancer patients in the form of rehabilitation programs, dedicated play assistants for the children’s ward and the Stars Appeal live music and arts project has delivered entertainment to older people in hospital.
But there’s been fresh projects which have brought improvements to the hospital too.
“We bought Salisbury’s first-ever 3D ultra-sound machine, built a new operating theatre, kitted out with the latest equipment, which is allowing plastic surgery patients to come as just day patients.
“On the neo-natal unit, we bought the first-ever baby brain monitor, which is really useful for monitoring the brains of babies born prematurely to pick up the risk of seizure.
“And on a more practical level, we’ve put phone charging stations around the hospital.”
And while that’s just a small selection of how the Stars Appeal has helped local people this year, it’s only through our support that it’s possible to fund these sorts of projects.
2024 targets
Dave told us that the charity’s aims for 2024 are to keep the ongoing projects running, but there are some specific things they’re hoping to raise funds for.
“There’s going to be a new ward, a new 24-bed ward opening at the hospital next year and we’re hoping to enhance that with some furnishings and equipment, we’re going to be looking to upgrade all the cots on the labour ward.
“We’re going to be doing some enhancements to our day surgery unit, for the thousands of patients that come there for surgery every year, just to make things more comfortable for them.”
The charity’s also targeting a fourth echocardiogram machine, which would allow heart patients to be seen and diagnosed with greater speed, and get them treated sooner.
“We know that if we can provide the hospital with additional equipment, it means people can be seen more quickly, getting their treatment more quickly and get better faster and that’s what we want to do.”
Stars Appeal is targeting £1 million of funding to achieve all of these aims, and more, in 2024.