The League of Friends of the Kent and Canterbury Hospital | The League of Friends of the Kent and Canterbury Hospital (LOFKCH)

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Registered under the Charities Act 1960 No. 206925

View our 2006 Annual Report (PDF file, 165kb)

Hospital 1937 building main entrance

This charity was founded in 1953 to support patients, visitors and staff, so the year 2003 was the LOFKCH Golden Jubilee. To mark this occasion a commemorative garden was opened, outside the main entrance of the old Hospital, with flowerbeds and shrubs, five wooden seats, paved paths and a big shell sculpture – a tranquil spot for patients and visitors.

In the early days of the NHS it was clear that all patient needs could not be provided by the Welfare State, and the League was formed to provide what was missing. In the first year some £50 was raised, rising to about £4,000 per year in the sixties, £60,000 per year in the 80’s – to around £300,000 per year since 2001 - a total of about £5,000,000 in 54 years.

As our running costs are truly minimal, every penny of this money has been gifted to K&CH (and other hospitals in the group prior to 2001, when only K&CH remained) as requirements of all types – from carpets, ward curtains, walking frames, chairs and trolleys to sophisticated hi-tech equipment costing tens of thousands of pounds per item and used for evermore complex investigation, diagnosis and treatment of increasing numbers of patients.

How things have changed over the years in the amount of money we used to raise to maintain up-to-date standards for so many more people in so many more departments with constant technical advance.

The money gifted by the League for the benefit of patients, visitors and staff is mainly used is used to purchase equipment which the Hospital Trust itself is unable to fund: so K&CH depends on the League to help to maintain and improve its current standards.

How is this achieved? The answer is by volunteers – and numerous fundraising activities.

Also available on request is a booklet entitled “A Brief History of the LOFKCH”.