PATIENTS and visitors alike who have visited Abergavenny’s Nevill Hall Hospital over the years will have come across a tireless band of volunteers who belong to Nevill Hall League of Friends.

Since 1955 they have been dispensing tea, coffee, sandwiches, snacks, warm cheerful words and a friendly smiling face and are still going strong today.

And now more than ever their work has turned to helping people suffering through the current Covid-19 pandemic.

David Spencer gives us a brief history of the League and the work it has carried out.

He writes: ‘‘When faced with a situation that no-one has faced before, the League of Friends moto is “adapt and persevere”.

Over the years there have been many devastating conflicts which loved ones have been caught up in and many have made personal sacrifices however when it comes to pandemics the front-line shifts from “being in the news” to being on our own doorsteps.

We are reliably informed that there have been 20 major pandemics that has changed the face of our world and our understanding of human frailty.

One of the first recorded was Hamin Mangha 5000 years ago in China, Plague of Athens 430 BC, The Black Death, The Great Plague of London, the Flu Epidemic in 1889, and since the formation of our “fore runners” Spanish Flu, Asian flu, Swine Flu, and most recently Ebola.

The Victoria Cottage Hospital and Dispensary was purpose built in 1828 it is now called Victoria Court, a sheltered accommodation.

Nevill Court which was built in 1860’s for one of the ironmasters, became Nevill Hall Hospital in 1920.

In 1927 the Victoria Hospital Needle Work Guild was founded, which became the Victoria Linen Guild in 1936; later in 1949 the Linen guild, which together with similar organisations in other Gwent hospitals were all incorporated into the North Gwent Hospitals League of Friends and morphed into The Nevill Hall League of Friends.

One can imagine in the past they would have served tea and more than likely homemade scones, chatted with patients and staff, being a very important ‘cog’ in the wheel of daily hospital life.

In 1955 the inaugural meetings of the League of Friends took place to become the organisation that today dispenses tea, coffee, sandwiches, snacks, warm cheerful words and a friendly smiling face.

So much has changed over the years. It’s difficult to imagine the ladies, needles clicking away, at the turn of the last century would realise that their desire to help others would turn into an organisation, giving a service to one and all and presenting the hospital, in today’s terms, millions of pounds to buy equipment.

In the start there were many services the League performed, a weekly library trolley, Wednesday welcome desk, and of course the very well patronised then “the canteen” but now ‘Coffee shop’. The Coffee Shop and the Welcome desk still dispenses a cheerful greeting, a sympathetic ear and a smile.

However, none of this could be achieved without the devotion of our volunteers. Working at least two hours a month, with some exceeding that because they find “working” in the coffee shop worthwhile and satisfying. The resultant profit continues to go to buy much needed equipment for the hospital. While still being very good value for those who kindly patronise the shop. Today a coffee costs only £1.50 which while making a profit, leaves at least £1.20 in in every customer’s pocket. Our committee donated £65,000 to the hospital in 2018 and this is matched by our clients being “at least £65,000” less out of pocket. Since 2003 the Nevill Hall League of Friends has donated £1.2m +to Nevill Hall, corrected for inflation our total donations to date exceed £5million, and that is not taking into account the value of a well-chosen friendly word, smile and a cuppa!

Covid 19 struck fear and panic in many different ways to all ages, as most of our volunteers are not only in the “at risk age group” many have been recipients of tender loving care and ministrations received on the Sharpe end as patients in Nevill Hall. Unfortunately, it meant that we had to close the Coffee Shop as Infection Control were concerned about volunteers, so as in the past we adapted and have since “lock-down” supplied the needs of in-patients and front-line staff.

On a weekly basis we have been and continue to take in drinks, and snacks. It became obvious that as patients were not allowed visitors there was a need for replacement night attire, toiletries, and reading material.

The front-line staff have been taken under our wing so we supply them with snacks, drinks and most of all lip-balm as lips under face masks dry out very quickly.

We applied for and received donations from GAVO.

We put out a call to all of our members and other organisations who make up the fabric of Abergavenny, we have been humbled by the number of donations we have received.

Obviously as the incidents of C19 diminished in our area needs changed but we have continued to supply the front-line staff with drinks and snacks.

Now that C19 is once more very prevalent, Nevill Hall has a growing number of patients in lock down and suffering from C19.

Urgently needed once more is night attire, and toiletries.

We know that there are still many who haven’t helped but would like to do so

You can support the League of Friends it is so easy, just pick up the phone call Glenys on 01873851060 or email [email protected] or find us on Facebook you will be assisting the League of Friends to do what it has always done be there for those less fortunate than yourselves and for Nevill

Hall.’’