Appeal to find hospitals' memorial benches loved ones

Staff are trying to track down people connected to items donated at Lydney District Hospital and Dilke Memorial Hospital before the close and move to the new hospital

A hospital trust is appealing for the owners of donated benches and artwork to come forward ahead of a major move.

Lydney District Hospital and Dilke Memorial Hospital will soon move to the new Gloucestershire Community Hospital.

However, hospital staff are trying to track down people connected to donated items, including memorial benches, giving them the chance to reclaim them.

Susan Hurrell saw the appeal online and will now take home a bench donated to Dilke in memory of her husband Alan.

Staff at Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the sites, are trying to find the owners of about 100 items, including memorabilia, benches, artefacts and artwork.

Susan and her family donated a bench to Dilke Memorial hospital after they cared for her husband Alan

Ms Hurrell met her husband Alan, who was originally from Norfolk, when he worked in a butcher's shop.

"We met when we were 20. Married in 1974 and had three lovely daughters together," she said.

"Money was a bit tight but we were happy."

Ms Hurrell said her husband's health started to take a turn after he spotted a "tiny" cancerous mole on his back.

Ms Pflug said while it's sad that the bench has to go from Dilke Hospital, it will be nice to have it "home"

He eventually had it removed but then five years later, in 1998, she said her husband was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

"When they told me it was terminal, I didn't want to believe it," she said.

Ms Hurrell said as his health deteriorated, she asked for her husband, who was an inpatient at Frenchay Hospital, to be able to "come home" to Dilke Memorial Hospital.

"He was brought back here on Christmas Eve and he died seven days later on New Year's Eve," she said.

Julie Mackie from the trust said they want to give those connected to the items the opportunity to decide what happens to them

Alison Pflug, Susan and Alan's daughter, said after his death 24 years ago, the family wanted something to remember her dad, who was her "world" so therefore they decided to put a memorial bench in the hospital's grounds.

"We've got a photograph of us donating the bench. I have pictures of me and the kids on it. We talk about him all the time," she said.

"My dad was everything. We did everything with my dad. He was just always there for me."

Ms Pflug said while it is a "shame it's got to go" from the hospital that helped her father in his last moments, it will be "nice to have the bench home" at her mum's house where her children will be able to sit on it and learn about their grandfather.

Some people have already reclaimed and come forward following the appeal

Julie Mackie from Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, said while some of the items would be going to places like the Dean Heritage centre or Gloucestershire Archives, what they are "really interested in is finding the families and the people who have done some of the artwork or have donated the benches, so we can ask them their opinion".

"What do they want done with the benches or the artwork?" she added.

Ms Mackie said many people had already come forward but urged those who are connected to any of the donated items to get in touch.