Wells Community Hospital Trust welcomes the Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk The Lady Dannatt MBE

Wells Community Hospital Trust welcomes the Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk The Lady Dannatt MBE

As tentative steps are taken, with the easing of lockdown, and changes in many aspects of our lives; Wells Community Hospital Trust looks to work with others in recognising the community strength in response to these different times.

The visit on 27th August was a day of recognition and appreciation after the challenge of recent long months. A day in which many volunteers and small staff team, have been recognised and thanked for their unstinting dedication, by the Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk.

Suitably physically distanced, in the presence of members of the Trust, partners and the wider community; Lady Dannatt thanked those present for their work in the Community Hospital and that of the Wells Central Support Hub, a partnership with the Town Council, local volunteers and organisations which coordinated urgently needed support for a locked down community, especially during the early days of the pandemic. The Trust continues their work with local people, ready to respond should further waves or spikes emerge.

After the closures of those early months, Wells Community Hospital is open again, slowly, but surely and safely growing back to life; once more a focal point, although offering some programmes and services in different forms as a result of the continuing looming presence of Coronavirus. Extensive risk assessments have been carried out, alongside clients, clinics, and services, to ensure Covid 19 compliance, prioritising the health and safety of volunteers, service users and staff.

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The Lady Dannatt MBE (left) with Rosalie Monbiot

The hospital remains determined to continue to play its part in maintaining health and well-being in the community, working with others to assist people to live well for longer, independently, and with a good quality of life. Joining together with others to offer treatments, therapies, exercise, music, companionship and laughter, often in itself a tonic, bringing together people who are isolated or elderly, living with a disability, with dementia or in poor mental health, lonely or afraid or needing accessible counselling, advice and guidance in a county where distances are great and public transport limited.

Lady Dannatt became Lord-Lieutenant in August 2019; amongst her many accomplishments she is a trained counsellor, continuing to use her skills as a volunteer herself, working with survivors of abuse. On her appointment Lady Dannatt, said, “I am most privileged to have been invited by Her Majesty The Queen, to be her Representative within Norfolk – the County in which I grew up and love so much”

About the role of the Lord Lieutenant, Lady Dannatt said: “I look forward to developing the work of the Lieutenancy, in particular encouraging volunteering within the County and also promoting mental health fitness especially amongst young people and those in our farming communities”.

“It is Lady Dannatt’s unequivocal recognition of the huge contribution paid by volunteers to a vibrant and healthy community life, which she models through her own service, which gives such heart and warmth to welcoming her to Wells Community Hospital”, says Rebecca Myers, the Chair of the WCHT. “We are delighted she is able to visit albeit with strict social distancing measures”.

“Serving as we do our coastal and rural community, neighbouring villages and small towns of North and North West Norfolk”, Rebecca continues, “ we may be a small organisation, but we have a long reach, working with partners, and potential partners, through collaboration, sharing resources and volunteer effort we have a vast array of skills and expertise available, enabling us to face forwards, towards meeting the often overwhelming needs, we identify as separate organisations, prior to, and now more than ever, post pandemic, to create holistic responses to health and well-being in the community”.

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