Brother Mark Hay of Lodge Kelso & Tweed 58 was recently admitted to the Borders General Hospital after suffering a heart attack, from which he has now thankfully made a full recovery.
During his five days stay there were no visiting options, just Mark and the people he shared the ward with. There was no TV in the ward although he did have his smart phone for entertainment. On observing the situation, he realised that there are many people in the BGH long term who can’t get visits or have no family. Some can’t work a phone or don’t have one at all. In many cases, the wards do not have a working TV so patients can’t keep up with the outside world or even to have something to help pass the time!
An appeal was sent out to the freemasons of the Scottish Borders to support this project which raised a magnificent sum and £3700, with donations from the Provincial Grand Lodge of the Scottish Borders, the Provincial Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the Border Province and from Lodges, St John Melrose 1bis, St John Selkirk 32, Kelso & Tweed 58, St John Jedburgh 104 and the Hawick Lodge 111 and this added to that received from the general public made a grand total of £9000.
This has enabled TVs to be installed in 20 wards in the BGH as well as 8 wards in the Kelso Hospital and a further 2 heading for the Hawick Community Hospital. The project now has a surplus which will ensure that the equipment will be maintained for the foreseeable future.
This initiative will affect us all at some time in our lives and we record our grateful thanks to the Brethren and Companions of the Scottish Borders for their generosity and to Brother Mark for his initiative.
12th December 2021