Tributes to the history of our NHS at Chorley Hospital

As a series of celebrations marking the NHS’s 70th birthday came to an end, staff and volunteers in Chorley hosted a historical exhibition.

Staff and volunteers from Chorley and South Ribble Hospital – alongside staff and St Joseph’s Guides – held a family fun day at the hospital along with games, choirs and face painting.

The hospital’s education centre also played host to a display of vintage photos and awards from the hospital’s history.

Chorley’s hospital dates back 48 years prior to the NHS’ foundation, although operating in a very different capacity.

The exhibition included a series of photos of staff and patients at the hospital through the ages, and some of the promotional materials from when the NHS was founded.

Chorley MP Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Lancashire County Coun for Chorley Rural East, Kim Snape, also presented matron Kathryn Maddison and hospital staff with a birthday card to round off the week-long celebrations.

Sir Lindsay said: "The people who dedicate their lives to caring for us in in hospital, at the GPs surgery or even visiting us at home at the absolute bedrock of our NHS.

"The doctors, the nurses, the porters, the auxiliaries and support staff work at all times of the day and night to make sure we have access to care when we need it the most.

"The NHS is there for us at every major moment in our lives from the cradle to the grave; and this simply wouldn’t be possible without the great men and women of the NHS – NHS70 is a salute and thank you to all of them.”