FUNDRAISING pensioners who sold tea and biscuits on hospital wards for years have accused health bosses of kicking them out.
The WRVS has supported Royal Blackburn Hospital and its predecessor for around 20 years, but their cafe service is now due to end.
Past and present volunteers say takings dropped dramatically after they were "hidden" in an out-of-the-way location.
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They say they were denied a more prominent space, close to where private businesses paid rent, and were also prevented from advertising.
However East Lancashire Hospital's Trust stressed the decision to close lay with the WRVS, and insisted they had been supportive, charging no rent for premises they supplied.
After 18 months of losing funds in the new location, the charity's headquarters have decided to end the service at the end of the month, after takings were said to drop from £400 a day to around £70. All money raised by the WRVS in the past has gone to the hospital for buying vital equipment and supplies.
Hospital bosses first came under fire for putting an end to the volunteer's traditional trolley service, when the new hospital building opened in 2006. At the same time, volunteers were told their tea bar could continue in a rent-free space in the maternity section of the older part of Queen's Park Hospital.
At the time WRVS volunteers said that the new location was too out-of-the-way and predicted money they raised would fall dramatically. Their trolley service was taken over by a private newsagent who paid rent.
Former volunteer Barbara Shaw, 64, of Crosby Road, Blackburn, said: "I only stuck it out for six months, because it was terrible. Before, everybody knew us but no-one had a clue we even had a tea bar in the new hospital. I felt like I might just as well be home doing a bit of ironing. It's such a shame because WRVS tea bars are still going strong in lots of hospitals."
Rene Houldsworth, 80 of Revidge Road, did the trolley service at Blackburn Royal Infirmary for 22 years. She said: "I felt like we'd been sacked when the trolley round ended. I knew then that this would happen unless the volunteers were given more support."
Current volunteer Doreen Brunskill said: "The WRVS couldn't pay the rent for a more prominent space as they were asking around £1,000 a week. We also weren't allowed to advertise because that would affect the business of the cafe, which pays rent."
Helen Hedges, former vice chairman of the recently disbanded Public and Patient Involvement Forum said: "It is a tragedy that this service has to end when people are still willing to give up their free time and volunteer towards something so worthwhile. They should have been given every support."
Volunteers said the WRVS cafe had been famously cheap in past decades, but that more recently their prices had risen until they were level with private competitors in the hospital.
Regional Manager for the WRVS, Jean Le Gros said they had a good relationship with the trust and insisted the decision to close the tea bar would not affect the charity's presence in the area. She said: "The ladies currently at the hospital will now volunteer at Pendle View, which is with a different trust, but is directly across the road. "
But Coun Roy Davies, chairman of Blackburn with Darwen Council's health scrutiny committee said: "The volunteers have been treated quite shabbily."
Gary Graham, acting chief executive for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust said: "It is a sad day when a long working voluntary service decides to leave the Trust.
"On behalf of the Trust a farewell lunch was provided at the Grane restaurant as a thank you for all the hard work and service given over the years. On behalf of all the staff, I would like to say, thank you for your help and support over the years, it has been a pleasure working with you."
Posted by: disgrace, blackburn on 5:19pm Sun 11 May 08
these people have done a good job for years,raising money for the hospital,nhs must have loads of money to get rid of people that want to help and not take, they want to look at some of the money being wasted,i wish these ladys all the best as it was a job we done,if only some that worked for the nhs put as much as these ladys did into there job it would be a better place,you only have to look at the state of some of the domestics and porters walking round doing nothing and getting paid, it's a laugh the management must never leave their offices.you only have to walk round that place to see the paid staff not working, and they kick out the volunteers,it's about right for the nhs,
these people have done a good job for years,raising money for the hospital,nhs must have loads of money to get rid of people that want to help and not take, they want to look at some of the money being wasted,i wish these ladys all the best as it was a job we done,if only some that worked for the nhs put as much as these ladys did into there job it would be a better place,you only have to look at the state of some of the domestics and porters walking round doing nothing and getting paid, it's a laugh the management must never leave their offices.you only have to walk round that place to see the paid staff not working, and they kick out the volunteers,it's about right for the nhs,
Posted by: observer, Hyndburn on 7:31pm Sun 11 May 08
Am reading this news story right? Is this not a 'constructive dismissal' type of thing??
Put the trolly in an out of the way place-no advertising(offend the rent paying cafes) etc. Then the coup-de-grace - the acting Chief Exec giving them a glowing send off as he fires them down the road.
Oh! by the way, had reason to visit Burnley General Phase 5 the other afternoon. It was like the Marie Celeste.Is there no illness in Burnley or are they all over in Blackburn?. Just 2 people sat in reception.No shoppers in the retail shopping opportunity facilities. Through to the lifts and up on to the wards. Took ages to find someone in charge. Weird!
Am reading this news story right? Is this not a 'constructive dismissal' type of thing??
Put the trolly in an out of the way place-no advertising(offend the rent paying cafes) etc. Then the coup-de-grace - the acting Chief Exec giving them a glowing send off as he fires them down the road.
Oh! by the way, had reason to visit Burnley General Phase 5 the other afternoon. It was like the Marie Celeste.Is there no illness in Burnley or are they all over in Blackburn?. Just 2 people sat in reception.No shoppers in the retail shopping opportunity facilities. Through to the lifts and up on to the wards. Took ages to find someone in charge. Weird!
Perhaps the powers that be, wish to privatise this little enterprise? Then the visitors will have the privilege of paying motorway prices for cups of tea and sandwiches.
Perhaps the powers that be, wish to privatise this little enterprise? Then the visitors will have the privilege of paying motorway prices for cups of tea and sandwiches.
I've enjoyed many visits to the WRVS over the years and to know that my money was helping the patients made my "lite bites" all the more enjoyable.
The assessment and diagnosis confirms that the hospital trust cannot provide space for a non rent paying organisation, as they need to save millions of pounds to balance the books!The treatment plan was to make it as awkward as possible so that in the end the WRVS would have no option other than to withdraw.
It truly is a sickner!
I've enjoyed many visits to the WRVS over the years and to know that my money was helping the patients made my "lite bites" all the more enjoyable.
The assessment and diagnosis confirms that the hospital trust cannot provide space for a non rent paying organisation, as they need to save millions of pounds to balance the books!The treatment plan was to make it as awkward as possible so that in the end the WRVS would have no option other than to withdraw.
It truly is a sickner!
Posted by: boycott, stockport on 7:36pm Mon 12 May 08
I agree a new cafe of costa coffee type will emerge charging service station prices. If these useless penpushers really want to save money they could always resign from their inflated positions and free resources to hire a few more nurses who do meaningful work in the hospital...Get rid of all the deadwood bureaucrats!!!
I agree a new cafe of costa coffee type will emerge charging service station prices. If these useless penpushers really want to save money they could always resign from their inflated positions and free resources to hire a few more nurses who do meaningful work in the hospital...Get rid of all the deadwood bureaucrats!!!
Posted by: Dr Kildare, Royal INFIRMARY on 9:06pm Mon 12 May 08
Fairly obvious what has happened here. The PFI management will want to lease out as much retail space as possible to maximise profits.
Then this money can be passed on to shareholders, sorry I mean reinvested back in to the hospital for customers, sorry I mean patients.
If the WRVS are wandering around the wards flogging cheap coffee, this is hardly going to impress Mr Starbucks and encourage him to pay a sky high rent to be based at the hospital.
Also, the WRVS are reminders of the days when hospitals were designed first and foremost with the patients in mind and staff were treated as human beings and not robots. The PFI won't want such reminders of the terrible past when profit wasn't everything.
At least the PFI will have something more to worry about than visitors smoking within a mile of the building or people visiting dying relatives who object to paying central Manchester car parking charges.
Fairly obvious what has happened here. The PFI management will want to lease out as much retail space as possible to maximise profits.
Then this money can be passed on to shareholders, sorry I mean reinvested back in to the hospital for customers, sorry I mean patients.
If the WRVS are wandering around the wards flogging cheap coffee, this is hardly going to impress Mr Starbucks and encourage him to pay a sky high rent to be based at the hospital.
Also, the WRVS are reminders of the days when hospitals were designed first and foremost with the patients in mind and staff were treated as human beings and not robots. The PFI won't want such reminders of the terrible past when profit wasn't everything.
At least the PFI will have something more to worry about than visitors smoking within a mile of the building or people visiting dying relatives who object to paying central Manchester car parking charges.
Posted by: Michael G, Blackburn on 9:15am Tue 13 May 08
This is a real tragedy. My grandmother helped out the WRVS shop before she died a couple of years ago. She was proud to be part of it and she and her friends offered an excellent service to the hospital.
I'm gutted.
This is a real tragedy. My grandmother helped out the WRVS shop before she died a couple of years ago. She was proud to be part of it and she and her friends offered an excellent service to the hospital.
I'm gutted.
Posted by: kath, blackburn on 10:49pm Tue 13 May 08
same all over Blackburn the money people move in and the people doing a worthwhile job go.They have been pushed out of sight were no one knows were to find them.The picture i saw in tonights LET was of the cafe at the Main Entrance who charge exhorbitant prices,this also belongs to the newspaper shop.Above this was an alternative restaurant private nothing to do with the NHS one that soon went out of business due again to the high prices charged.NHS staff used to get a bit of a discount now they are charged the same price as visitors it's all money money money.Total disgrace.
same all over Blackburn the money people move in and the people doing a worthwhile job go.They have been pushed out of sight were no one knows were to find them.The picture i saw in tonights LET was of the cafe at the Main Entrance who charge exhorbitant prices,this also belongs to the newspaper shop.Above this was an alternative restaurant private nothing to do with the NHS one that soon went out of business due again to the high prices charged.NHS staff used to get a bit of a discount now they are charged the same price as visitors it's all money money money.Total disgrace.
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