Derby City General Hospital: Helping the City Hospital for half a century

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Edith Marshall, A City Hospital Friend for 50 years, with her husband, Walter, and daughter, Sheena, who became head of midwifery

A Friend of the City Hospital manning the group’s shop on the corridor adjacent to the admissions department in 1991

FIFTY years as a “friend” to countless patients in Derby City Hospital seem to have flashed by for Edith Marshall, of Littleover, who was one of the first members of the newly formed Friends of Derby City Hospital back in 1956.

“It hardly seems a half a century ago since it all began from humble beginnings when we had to borrow a trolley from the kitchen before we could go out on our tour of the hospital wards selling patients the basic necessities they needed.

“Now the group does so much more, including raising hundreds of thousands of pounds and making an enormous financial contribution by buying essential equipment for the hospital,” she said.

Now 81, she is still a member of the group, though these days the Friends have moved on in the way they carry out their voluntary duties in what is now the largest general hospital in the area.

“Looking at the City today, as it grows and grows, it seems strange thinking back to the old days. It was small by comparison but we were always busy, dashing around with chocolates and talc for the patients. Then it was a once-a-week visit and we didn’t get round all the wards. Now most wards get a visit from the Friends’ trolley,” she said.

Fundraising in the early days was modest but, helped by table-top sales, whist drives and jumble sales they gradually moved on to other important contributions like providing things like curtains for privacy round patients’ beds and refreshment bars for visitors.

As the wife of the well-known veterinary surgeon and local politician, Walter Marshall, and the mother of twin boys and a daughter, Edith already led a busy life back in the mid 1950s when Janet Ashworth was at the forefront of helping set up the League at the City – then second string to the DRI in the Derby hospital pecking order.

“To start with we had one small cupboard for the toilet rolls and had to borrow a tea trolley for going round the wards. We used to give a card to every patient celebrating a birthday and stopped for a chat with anyone who didn’t have visitors.”

The Friends began with a letter sent to Mrs Ashworth in January 1956 by the Provost of Derby, the Very Rev R A Beddoes, inviting her to a coffee party in the nurses’ home where the Matron hoped a Friends of the City Hospital would be formed.

Mr Beddoes explained that following the nationalisation of the Health Service, forming a group of Friends was seen as a way of restoring to the hospital a sense of voluntary help and responsibility.

“It is already clear that much can be done in this direction by an interested and enthusiastic body of people,” he said.

Said Edie: “When I heard about it from Mrs Ashworth I decided to give it a try. She asked friends and acquaintances to consider helping form teams of workers.”

In the beginning, they offered a very personal service like posting letters for patients, selling chocolate bars, paper hankies and Christmas cards, and doing anything they could to help make the patients more comfortable during their hospital stay.

But the work grew and having to pack and unpack the tea trolley every time they went round the wards did not help.

A purpose-built trolley was eventually acquired and its “stock” expanded to include stationery, toiletries, cigarettes and tobacco.

The humble fundraising events also moved on. Tea bars and a shop for visitors were introduced which, together with the trolley services, began to make a vital contribution to desperately needed hospital equipment.

“I liked the old days when it was more personal and great fun, but obviously things have to change and we do so much more today,” said Edie.

The City Hospital has always been close to Edith’s heart so she was delighted when her daughter, Sheena Appleby, became head of midwifery at the hospital. With brand new wards, Sheena now heads up a maternity department which sees thousands of babies from all around the area born there.

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