Iris Club raises £3,000

2:43pm Tuesday 13th May 2008

The Iris Club has once again supported Southend University Hospital by donating £3000 for two special electric beds for the stroke unit.

Iris was founded almost 20 years ago and during that time has raised more than £1.6 million for local hospitals, hospices and charities in the south Essex area.

Since 1992 Iris members have been donating to Southend University Hospital, first as Essex Hospitals Fund and since September 2000 as the Iris Club.

In excess of £128,000 has been donated during that time to many wards and departments as well as donations to previous appeals including Healing Hearts and the Pinpoint Cancer Appeal Chris Gurton presented the beds on behalf of Iris and said: "It is entirely down to the unstinting generosity of our members that the Iris Club is able to aid such a worthwhile charity and help to improve the lives of local people who require treatment at the hospital, now and in the future."

Benfleet ward manager Emma Mott said; "I would like to thank Iris members for their continued support in raising funds for two new electric beds, which will make a huge difference to both patient comfort and medical care.

"The beds make patient positioning easier, quicker and more comfortable and help reduce the complications that stroke patients can suffer from, such as chest infections. They also help to improve patients' safety."

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