Monthly Feature
The Monthly Feature page is for members of the community who would like to use this space to promote their society/club, or who have an interesting article, good samaritan story, charity work report, that would be of interest to the community of the parish.
60th Anniversary of St Leonards Hospital.
St Leonards Community Hospital celebrated in style, the 60th anniversary of the NHS on Saturday July 5th.
As the Hospital was originally built in 1942 to treat American casualties of the D-Day landings the theme for the day was “D-Day to Today.
Many of the staff dressed up in 1940’s uniforms, WW11 military vehicles were on display in the grounds, including a fully equipped ambulance and a working field Hospital provided by, among others, the 2nd Rangers and 29th Infantry Division re-enactment groups.
A float on the same theme took part in the Ferndown Carnival procession.
The serious side of the day was to dispel the idea of St Leonards Hospital as the vast, long-stay, Geriatric Hospital as it was between 1950 and 1995. But instead to promote the fact that it is now a thriving Community Hospital with 2 in-patient wards and a multitude of other services; including the increasingly popular Out of Hours Treatment Centre.
Matron Heather Smith and some of the staff took members of the public 
on guided tours of the Hospital, explaining the many services available. The visitors were told that in the changing NHS local communities, via their G.P’s, are key in the commissioning of services and so should be making known the services they would like to see developed at St Leonards.
Anyone not able to attend the Open Day is invited to telephone 01202 584200 and make an appointment with Matron or a senior member of staff, to be shown around.
Also, due to the constantly developing services the Hospital is frequently recruiting staff. All substantive posts are advertised on www.jobs.nhs.uk Anyone interested in working on a ‘Bank’ basis within the Nursing, Therapy, Admin. and Hotel Services areas is also invited to telephone the Hospital and make an appointment to see Matron.
The Hospital will also be represented at the West Moors fete on August 17th and Verwood Rustic Fayre on August 25th 2008.
Previous Monthly Features
Vivien Burgess - Painting miniatures
Paws in Hand