In spite of the Covid19 restrictions, some of the contractors who are working on the new Brackley Community Hospital building have been able to continue to work. This has depended on availability of materials, on an ability to maintain social distancing and on the fact that some of the sub-contractors were furloughed.
However, rooms are now partitioned and plastered; it is now possible to differentiate between the various rooms and to see where the en-suite bathrooms on the second floor will be located. Electricity is on-site and the groundworks for all forms of communication are in place. Rendering has been completed and the scaffolding removed.
It is hoped that the furloughed workers may soon be back on site; however, there will inevitably be a delay in the opening date, and, unless anything else changes in the meantime, this is likely now to be sometime in late autumn.
The initial fund-raising target of £165,000 is still the aim. To date, receipts are just under £130,000 thus proving that this is not unachievable. The total has been bolstered by a pledge of £95,000 from the Brackley Hospital Trust which ran the Cottage Hospital until its closure in 2015, so moneys given to “the Cottage” will continue to benefit local residents for many years to come.
Once the initial target has been reached and the state-of-the-art digital x-ray machine is secured, fund-raising will continue to underwrite an ultrasound scanner, special therapeutic recliner chairs and smart television sets, so the fund-raising efforts will continue, and all involved with the new hospital look forward to the day when it is safe for the many community-based fundraising events to resume.
Donations can be made via JustGiving and GoFundMe pages, by registering with Amazon Smile and by registering with EasyFundraising which benefits the charity from online purchases. Direct gifts may be made to the bank account of the Brackley Community Hospital 2020 Trust (sort code: 09-02-22, account number: 10876497).