Bench and picnic table installed in Rothbury hospital grounds following crowdfunding appeal

It was a long struggle, but the resulting solution is fantastic - Rothbury Cottage Care is a residential home in our community, which includes NHS beds for those who need them.

To celebrate this achievement the campaign team, with the Coquetdale League of Friends, crowd-funded to commission the making of a beautiful bench and picnic table to go in the hospital grounds.

They raised enough money to enable Michael Boxall to create the most wonderful seat and table, with plenty left over to donate to the essential work of the League of the Friends.

The furniture is made from a mighty oak tree, felled by Storm Arwen. It was kindly gifted to Michael for this use, by the owner.

It has been a remarkable feat to craft this noble tree into objects not just of beauty, but of great practical use. It will be so pleasant for all users of the hospital, GPs, and care home, plus staff of course, to take a break looking out over the magnificent views of Rothbury and the Coquet Valley.

Watching such a skilled woodsman as Michael turning an oak tree into simply splendid, and comfortable, rustic furniture, using the old tried and tested methods, was fascinating. We documented the process and you can look at the photographic essay here: How to turn a tree into a beautiful bench! A photo-essay. (rothburytrees.uk) and here: Bench Part 2. Rothbury Cottage Care - what an exceptionally fine bench for residents.. (rothburytrees.uk)

During the campaign to save the NHS beds, two prominent members of the group sadly died. They were not able to take advantage of the beds they had worked so hard to save. The bench is dedicated to Maurice Cole and David Brown. Ann Brown and Chris Cole are pictured, alongside Cathy Jacob from the Coquetdale League of Friends.

The flexible NHS bed provision is available for patients who need longer-term recuperation and rehabilitation, or end-of-life care. Patients are cared for by a team of district nurses, GPs and nurse practitioners. This care is provided alongside healthcare currently provided by the community team.

The clinical team looking after a patient will advise if they are eligible to be admitted to an NHS bed within the Rothbury care facility. If they are eligible and all involved, including the patient, clinicians and patient’s family/carers, are in agreement with the plan of care, one of the senior community nurses, based in Rothbury, will liaise with People First Care (which runs the facility) and the patient’s social care team, if they have one, to arrange a mutually agreeable date for admission.

If people would like to register for a residential place for themselves or a loved one, they should email [email protected]. They can also call the People First Care Wooler site on 01668 281 662 and ask for Amanda Cowell.

Thank you to all who gave towards the furniture, and to the staff at the hospital for helping to make this happen.