Edward Hain Hospital: St Ives residents raise £1m to save hospital

Those behind the fundraising celebrated the purchase on Tuesday

The residents of a Cornish town have raised £1m to save the Edward Hain Memorial Hospital.

Closed in 2020, the former Edward Hain Hospital in St Ives will open as the Edward Hain Centre, providing a range of health and wellbeing services.

Lynne Isaacs, chair of the Edward Hain centre, said the loss of the hospital was "devastating".

The Edward Hain Centre will celebrate its launch with an open weekend on 9 and 10 September.

'Much-needed health services'

Ms Isaacs added: "We're thrilled that we can now bring much-needed health services back to the town."

The charity The League of Friends of the Former Edward Hain Memorial Hospital, which has raised funds for it since the 1960s, decided to buy the building in 2022.

Supported by local businesses and the community, the group ran fundraising events throughout 2022 to raise enough money for the purchase.

The Edward Hain Centre said its top priority going forward was to pay off a £400,000 mortgage, as well as carrying out renovations and upgrades.

'A meaningful memorial'

The original hospital was named after Capt Edward "Teddy" Hain - the only son of Sir Edward Hain, six-times mayor of St Ives, MP from 1900-1906, and benefactor of the town.

Sir Edward's company, the Edward Hain Steamship Company, was started as a small fishing fleet by Mr Hain's grandfather which provided work for generations of St Ives families.

Teddy was killed by shellfire at Gallipoli on 11 November 1915, the morning he was due to ship home.

To create a meaningful memorial to their son which would also benefit the town they loved, his parents decided to found a hospital.

A building was bought, kitted out, and put in trust for the people of St Ives - opening in April 1920.

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