Village charitysends vital aidto the Gambia

The charity, BACE, (Building and Assisting Communities with Education) has a school in The Gambia, in a village called Bonsa and in November it officially opens a new health clinic there.

Benenden Hospital, at Cranbrook, responded to a plea from the charity to ship another container of aid to the village early next year.

As well as supporting the container costs , the hospital has given BACE old and redundant equipment for its new health clinic.

Recently volunteers from the charity collected these items, which included 300 pairs of sterile gloves, blood pressure monitors, drug dispensing trolleys, scales and office furniture.

The Kent hospital is undergoing a £45 million re-development.

Tracy Barnett, chair of BACE, said: “Benenden Hospital have been fantastic, and with their support we have been able to obtain a good range of stock for our clinic which we hope to open in November 2014.

“We are extremely grateful for all the support from all the staff and the help shipping this container will ensure we can sustain the much needed supplies to prevent some of the minor ailments becoming fatal.”

Jane Abbott, Hospital Director at Benenden Hospital, said: “We supported the BACE charity last year, by donating old and redundant equipment. Also our staff, members and friends of the hospital got behind the charity by collecting items.”