general meeting on Monday. Pictured are Merredene Cantwell (vice president), Beryl Martin (secretary), Sharon Harland (president), Phyllis Budd (patron) and Barbara
Bartlett (treasurer).
With strict COVID-19 restrictions placed on visitors and volunteers in hospitals, the Cobar Hospital Auxiliary committee has been forced into recess for some months.
The volunteer group, which meets monthly to plan fundraising activities, has the aim
of raising funds to purchase additional
items for the hospital to make patients’ stays more comfortable and the staff’s jobs
easier.
The group came out of recess this week to hold their annual general meeting on Monday at the Cobar Library meeting room.
Sharon Harland was returned as the group’s president (and publicity officer) with Merredene Cantwell re-elected as vice president.
Also returning was their long-serving secretary Beryl Martin and treasurer Barbara Bartlett and Heather Collins also retained the assistant treasurer/secretary’s role.
Phyllis Budd has again agreed to act as the group’s patron.
Mrs Harland’s president’s report from the past year was short due mainly to the COVID-19 pandemic having a direct effect on the group’s ability to meet and conduct fundraising activities.
She reported that the changeover transitional period from the old hospital to the new health service had also affected the group.
“Initially we were waiting until the staff moved into the new premises to see what items, if any, they needed to help make a patient’s stay more comfortable,” Mrs Harland said.
“But then the pandemic hit and our group went into recess, so it’s been a very quiet year for us.
“We were lucky that the auxiliary is in a fairly good financial situation which has taken the pressure off us fundraising-wise, and having a brand new health facility also helps when our priority is patient comfort.”
