THE League of Friends of Crediton Hospital is looking for someone to take over as chairman.

Mary Collins who has been in the chair for at least 10 years stepped down from the role at the recent AGM.

She had taken over from Neil Easden who had been chairman and treasurer. When Neil became ill Mary took on the job of treasurer as well.

Last year Michele Baxendale-Nichols became treasurer, she is Community Nurse Manager for Crediton and Moretonhampstead.

This now means that the League has a full committee and just needs someone to chair.

When Mary said she wanted to stand down, there was a successor waiting in the wings, but for personal reasons that person was unable to stand. 

As a stop gap, Richard Ward, Practice Manager at Chiddenbrook Surgery, took over as interim chair at the League’s annual meeting.

He has given himself six months to identify and recruit a new chair whose normal term of office for the chair is three years.

The League is an established local charity which has been making donations to the hospital and community for the last 26 years.

Its full and proper title is the League of Friends of Crediton Hospital and its Community Patients which means it can give financial support to community projects as well as providing "extras" for the hospital.

The committee meets six times a year (plus the AGM) to manage the giving of grants.

The League provides a vital function, funding equipment and services when the NHS has not been able to: beds, curtains, china, training aids for staff plus paying for newspapers and magazines for the reception area and digital cameras to aid with diagnoses.

Last year it was able to donate more than £12,000 to support health and well-being in Crediton.

The committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday, September 6 with a Special General Meeting to confirm the election of a new Chair planned for October 18.

Anyone who would like to know more about the role can either contact Richard at Chiddenbrook Surgery or the membership secretary, Sue Read via the “Crediton Courier” office or telephone 01363 84859.