After 70 years, Friends of Wisbech Hospitals charity will close due to lack of volunteers and hospital structure changes.
The group’s chair, Malcolm Bruce, announced that trustees had agreed to shut down the charity. This decision wasn’t made easily. It means the end for the charity, which has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds. It all went to the North Cambs Hospital.
Trustees worked hard to reach their goals and funded more projects in the past 20 years. According to Bruce, central government should have paid for these things. He also stated that managing the charity got much harder, as the treasurer and he volunteered a lot of their time.
They planned to retire from their roles, but no one wants to take over these jobs. That’s part of why they’re closing down. The North Cambs Hospital’s structure also plays a role.
Bruce explained that hospitals used to have one directorate. Now, six providers exist in the same complex, making communication nearly impossible. They will fund projects until the end of 2025 and plan to fully close by late summer 2026.
He thanked all the past trustees and officers, acknowledging their hard work over 72 years. Last year, the charity raised £57,066 and spent £195,345. In 2022, they raised £154,520 and spent £32,640.