On Tuesday this week, yet another successful Coffee Morning and Table-Top Sale was held in Pembroke Town Hall and the Friends of South Pembs Hospital would like to thank all those who took part and supported them.

These monthly events are becoming increasingly popular with both stall holders and customers alike. They attract many supporters as more and more people become aware of threats of the closure of vital areas of our 'Cottage Hospital'.

They raise a growing amount of funds, which go to help the patients in both the Sunderland Ward and Day Centre.

The 40-bed Sunderland Ward nurses people with varying degrees of health problems, many unable to care for themselves and confined to their beds.

A fair proportion of the beds they lie on have specific Nimbus pressure relieving mattresses and the motors to power them, which help relieve bed sores.

These wear out over time and need replacing or re-covering at considerable cost to the hospital.

As reported last week, the Friends have just donated enough money raised from coffee mornings and other events, to purchase another Nimbus mattress, and their aim is to purchase at least one new mattress per year.

With each new mattress costing over £3,000, the funding released to the hospital does not provide for any of these.

The Friends of South Pembs Hospital is a local charity, relying solely on the generosity of the local people.

The money raised is spent on items not provided by hospital funding and a list of various items of equipment they have purchased is always on display at their coffee mornings, which are held on the second Tuesday morning of each month throughout the year.

The next Coffee Morning and Table-Top Sale will be on Tuesday, April 9, when yet again there will be a huge variety of stalls offering hand-made crafts, home-made jams and pickles, freshly baked cakes, skin-care, cosmetics and complementary therapies, with a medical professional on hand to advise.

Tables must be pre-booked as there is such demand now.

The Friends are eager to have more volunteers, both male and female, to help, so even if you can only spare just a few hours each month, they would love to hear from you.

Please contact Sue Paterson Jones for further details on 01646 682596.