If you’re a hospital, you can never have too many wheelchairs and Byron Central Hospital (BCH) has just received five new sets thanks to a donation from the local Freemasons Lodge in conjunction with their Grand Charity MasoniCare.
Freemasons Grand Master for NSW and the ACT, Derek Robson AM, travelled to Byron Bay to present the chairs to the hospital staff.
One of the new wheelchairs will be used at the front entrance of the hospital to assist incoming patients, while the other four will be used in the emergency department and inpatient unit.
Byron Central Hospital Deputy Director of Nursing Tracey Brooke said the five chairs will make a huge difference. ‘We’re thrilled to be receiving yet another generous donation from Freemasons Byron Bay who have supported us for a number of years,’ she said.
‘New wheelchairs aren’t cheap at about $500 each, and having even a few more means we can move patients around the hospital much more efficiently and safely.
‘Just today we used one of the new wheelchairs to take a patient from their bed to get some fresh air and sunshine outside.’ Grandmaster Robson said Freemasons NSW had now given more than 250 wheelchairs to hospitals around the state.
‘It is really great to see the excellent work our lodges are doing across NSW,’ he said.
‘The Byron Bay Freemasons have now raised more than $12,000 for the Byron Central Hospital in the last few years. It is one of many local organisations we like to support.’
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