Rutland Memorial Hospital is nearly a 100 years old, and a group of local volunteers are marking the occasion by hosting an art competition.

Joining the ongoing outreach initiative to collect as many stories about the local hospital as possible, the art competition is just one of various initiatives aiming to shine light on the history of Rutland Memorial Hospital as it reaches 100 years.

Local volunteer, Jean Denyer, is looking for stories about the hospital, its staff, patients and more as planning to mark the milestone gets underway.

Jean Denyer, an Oakham local and avid volunteer, has been working as a volunteer at Rutland Memorial Hospital since 2019, supporting end of life patients and their families on the ward - and is passionate to champion the ongoing success of the NHS.

While Covid saw the volunteers removed from the ward until early 2022, Jean and a large group of crafters made over 1,500 scrubs for nurses and medical staff during the pandemic.

Now, the group are supporting local nurses who care for terminally ill children, making baby clothes and other essentials for the nursing team and parents.

On top of this, a select few are recognising the history of the hospital as it gets ready to mark a century of success.

Jean added: "This project is looking for a range of stories, big or small, coming out of the hospital. I am aware that the hospital used to have a maternity ward, so I would love to hear from anyone who was born there, has worked at the hospital, or has had a relative at the hospital as a patient or part of the staff."

It doesn't matter how distant your connection, Jean wants to know. 

All of the information compiled by the group of NHS volunteers working on this project will be used to tell the story of the historic hospital.

The team are planning other events to mark 100 years of Rutland Memorial Hospital, and the upcoming art conception is a part of that:

Submit your art to an upcoming competition to mark 100 years of Rutland Memorial Hospital. Imahe credit: NHS LPT.

Entrants from 5 - 105 can enter their work in three categories:

• Age 5 - 11
• Age 12 - 17
• Age 18+

The them is '100 Years of Rutland Memorial Hospital' and art up to A3 size is being accepted.

Winning entires will be framed and hung in the hospital, and winners will receive a £20 gift voucher.

Enter by 9 July 2024 by sending your art to:

Caral Yaxley

Rutland Ward

Rutland memorial Hospital

LE15 6NT

Or email Jean Denyer on [email protected].