The League of Friends was set up on 25th June 1958 to assist Tonbridge Cottage Hospital through fund-raising efforts and the collection of donated money and legacies, aiming to provide the hospital with equipment and services that the NHS cannot normally supply. You’ll find a list of our contributions here. We also help in the Hospital’s work through volunteering and the provision of practical support for patients, visitors and sometimes staff.

We are proud of our help for the Hospital and Community over the years. At present the NHS in Kent is reviewing Community Hospitals. We hope that they take note of the population numbers locally (Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Paddock Wood and surrounding villages) and the large percentage of the local patients who are admitted to other community hospitals.”
— Dr David Goodridge, Chairman – June 2022

What we do

We work closely with the management of the Hospital in deciding what is needed, and in recent years have contested various decisions by local NHS management to reduce the number of community rehabilitation beds. The League of Friends also supports health services provided in the vicinity of Tonbridge. Find out more about the impact of our work and contributions.

If you’re interested in joining, simply fill out the form found on the support page.

Current office holders

Chairman:
David Wells joined the committee in 2020 after careers in the Royal Navy and in school business management. Retired now, he is a school governor and former President of the Rotary Club of Tonbridge, where he lives. Email david.wells@tch-lof.org.uk.

Vice-Chairman:
David Goodridge is a retired General Medical Practitioner who worked in Tonbridge and was formerly Medical Director of South West Kent Primary Care Trust. He was the lead G.P. in the judicial review on TCH in 1988. He joined the Committee in 2008. Email david@tch-lof.org.uk.

Treasurer:
Susan Greenhalgh is a retired Practice Manager of Woodlands Health Centre, Paddock Wood. She now works during term time with Kent College in their health centre.She lives in Tonbridge. She joined the Committee in 2014. Email susan@tch-lof.org.uk.

Secretary:
Andrea McDonnell 2022 – present: Andrea has been a Registered Nurse since April 1995. The main part of her career has been at Barts Health NHS Trust and she is now a Senior Work Manager. Her recent work was as the Associate Director of Nursing at Newham University Hospital and she is now the Director of Nursing, Midwifery and AHP Education for the Barts Health Group.

Email andrea@tch-lof.org.uk

Membership secretary:
Christine Parker: Former Managing Director of Abbey Funeral Services in Tonbridge, a past President and fellow of the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors and also, formerly, Principal of the Independent Funeral Directors College. Chris is also Chair of both Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells Dementia friendly Communities. She joined the Committee in 2010. Email chris@tch-lof.org.uk.

Auditors:
From the beginning of the LOF, the Accounts were audited on a voluntary basis by the Chartered Accountants, Creasey Son & Wickenden. From 2017 the auditor has been Lindeyer Francis Ferguson Ltd.

Cottage Club Administrator:

Jill Goldsworthy. Email jill@tch-lof.org.uk

Other Committee Members:

Ray Fuller who obtained an M.A. degree in hospital architecture. He joined the Committee in 2007.

Jean Millman is a retired NHS Speech Therapist who now does voluntary work at TCH.

Greer Stolton is the Managing Director of Tonbridge Tech, a local IT Consultancy. She has seen many family and friends experience an excellent standard of care at the hospital over the years and wishes to help secure our services into the future.  Email greer@tch-lof.org.uk