A NEW sensory garden at Chippenham Hospital has been named after the lady who has volunteered tirelessly for the community hospital for more than three decades.

Elizabeth Sexton has been chairman for 11 years and will continue on the committee, after being part of Friends of Chippenham Hospital for over 30 years.

In that time the volunteers have raised thousands of pounds for new equipment, such as a slit lamp to allow an ophthalmologist to consult locally, saving patients from having to travel to Bath or Swindon.

Miss Sexton will no longer be chairing meetings but will continue to visit the hospital to find out its needs and liaise with people who can help, for example the dementia ward currently needs more wheelchairs.

She said: “Now I can do the bits that I like doing, without having the great load."

Bowood owner Lady Lansdowne, who is patron of the Friends, threw a party at her estate for Miss Sexton on May 28. Around 70 people went to thank her for her years of work, including MP James Gray, his predecessor Sir Richard Needham, former St Andrew’s vicar Simon Tatton-Brown and his successor Rod Key.

Miss Sexton, of Heron Way, Chippenham, said: “It was awfully nice. When I looked up and saw Richard Needham walking in, it was lovely, and I thought James would be at the Commons.”

Mr Gray said: “Elizabeth has done great work for so many years and is well worthy of praise. A lot of the equipment in the hospital comes about because of her determined fundraising.

"She has also been chairman of East Tytherton Parish Council and has helped me with my surgeries for 20 years, and the garden marks a long and distinguished career in public service to the hospital."

The Cedar Ward garden for dementia patients, opened by Lady Lansdowne on May 30, was designed by Anna Tilbury and created with manpower from the Winkle Club, regulars at the Old Road Tavern in Chippenham. They also paid for a patio table and chairs.

Plants were donated by St Andrew’s Church in Chippenham, St Nicholas Church of East Tytherton, Christian Malford luncheon club and Co-operative Funeralcare.

Miss Sexton said: “People were very generous. The ward manager has said how much the patients and staff are enjoying the garden. They were out there talking about the flowers, pointing out the honeysuckle and the clematis, interested and involved.”

Over the years the Friends of Chippenham Hospital's fundraising efforts have also paid for Christmas presents for all the patients each year, and a second birthing pool so more mothers could have their babies in Chippenham.

More recently the Friends bought a new plaster couch for the minor injuries unit to make it more comfortable for patients having a cast put on.

Douglas Blair, director of community services for Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Elizabeth has worked tirelessly for more than 30 years fundraising for the League of Friends of Chippenham Hospital and has served as the organisation’s chairman for the past 11 years.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Elizabeth for all of her hard work and also to wish her all the very best for the future.”