Rehab hospital set for multi-million pound refurb

Buy photos » Ground-breaking - left to right - Tony Shaw, managing director of developers Speller-Metcalfe, hospital general manager Sue Bleasdale, trust chief executive Glen Burley and senior nurse Nicki Hartup. Picture by Jon Mullis. 49.012.023.leam.jm1 (www.buyphotos247.com)

A MULTI-million pound refurbishment of Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital officially began on Monday afternoon (December 3).

A ground-breaking ceremony was held at the Heathcote Lane site as the £6.2 million project begins to create a two storey, state-of-the-art inpatient facility with an increased number of beds.

Alongside the work a public appeal to raise £235,000 – to further enhance the environment patients will be treated in – is gathering pace.

More than £7,500 has already been generated with further fund-raising events planned and donations expected.

Steve Harcourt, a previous patient of the rehab hospital, raised £1,800 himself towards the specialist appeal as a thank-you for his treatment.

After he was knocked off his motorcycle and suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2010 he defied the odds to re-learn to walk, talk and regain strength in the right side of his body.

He said: “The hospital really supported me through my rehabilitation and I fundraised for them as a way of saying thank you for everything they did for me. It is excellent that I am able to be part of the development of the hospital so more patients can receive the care that I did.”

South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the rehab hospital, also recently announced plans to rename it and are still inviting ideas.

Visit www.justgiving.com/lnrcappeal to donate to the appeal.

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