Friends of DCH

The Friends of Dorset County Hospital was founded in 1956 to provide comfort and help to patients and their relatives at the old Dorset County Hospital.

Today’s modern hospital is very different, but the Friends still do what there were set up to do. Alongside the ward trolley service, the Friends also manage, donations, legacies and fundraising activities. With the income from these sources they are able to provide equipment and facilities that are not always available through NHS funding. To date the Friends have donated funds of around £500,000.

Latest fundraising initiative 

Comfort bags
As part of an ongoing initiative, the Friends donate comfort bags to patients who are unexpectedly admitted to a ward through our Emergency Department. This initiative has also been expanded to support families in outpatients Special Care Baby Unit. So far the Friends have donated almost 600 bags .

Joining the Friends 

If you would like to volunteer as one of the Friends, we would love to hear from you. For more information, please call 01305 255896 or email friends@dchft.nhs.uk

You can also find out more and keep up-to-date with all our latest news on the Friends' Facebook and Twitter pages.