Airedale Hospital will celebrate its 50th anniversary next week, in the same week of the NHS’ 72nd birthday.

Hospital staff will be marking the occasion by taking part in the clap for Key Workers on July 5, throwing individual ward parties and enjoying cream tea which has been funded by the staff lottery. Staff will also be taking part in sponsored challenges to raise money for the hospital.

The hospital is also asking people to post their messages of support on social media and to share any memories from Airedale from the last 50 years.

Airedale Hospital first opened to patients on 5 July 1970 and is now an award-winning NHS hospital and community services trust with over 2,500 staff and 350 committed volunteers.

Brendan Brown, Chief Executive of the Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said: “As a small district general hospital and community trust, we have always punched above our weight.  We are agile, able to change swiftly and adjust to new demands on our services.  This has never more shown itself to be true than in recent months.

“Everything we do is about serving our population, keeping our community at our heart, and this will be our ambition for the next 50 years. Our estate has changed substantially since 1970; in recent years we’ve completely upgraded our Emergency department, built a new acute assessment unit and redeveloped our laboratories.

“We already have work underway to create additional theatres and we have exciting future plans for an entire new ward block, all so Airedale can continue to lead the way for innovation and care.

“We are hugely appreciative of the support and trust we receive from local people and I hope that we honour that trust in the compassionate care we provide. I am too enormously proud of our staff and volunteers who continue to go above and beyond, never more so than now as we face these unprecedented challenges together.”

Andrew Gold, Chair, Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I am inordinately proud of the services we provide and of Airedale’s position in our community.  As a local resident and user of healthcare services, I remain totally committed to leading the Board of Airedale that all want the Trust to be the best it can be; now and so it continues to thrive in the future.”

More information on the fundraising campaign for Airedale Hospital can be found here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/airedale5050