It’s time to say farewell but not goodbye….Lesley Myland

It does not seem possible that it was 12 years ago when a Trustee of the Friends pounced on me outside the Lifeboat station in Cowes saying the Friends couldn’t find a new chairman and I might do! 

I had just recovered from treatment at St Mary’s and did feel a certain pull to do something for the hospital. I had just retired from full time work, so I went through the recruitment process and began in the role in June 2014. Every one spoke of 5-year tenures. I never expected it to be 12!

I have loved the job from the beginning although it has its challenging times to say the least, Covid being one.  Another was that we were referred to as the Fiends of St Mary’s and the other was that no one other than us knew what we actually did apart from serve coffee, well we worked on that and spread the word on how the Friends support the hospital.

Since 2021 alone, The Friends fund has funded over £169,000 of equipment/facilities to enhance the excellent service provided by the Island’s only hospital, and the 2026 Friends Fund application is in full swing as I write.

Somehow, we emerged from Covid with a much smaller but very much mightier paid and volunteer team, and I will always be proud of how we worked to keep things going, do it right and in the end carry on together with our aims to support St Mary’s. 

The team known affectionately at St Mary’s Hospital as ‘the Friends’, continues to deliver outstanding service and great support to the Trust. This is largely via our popular retail activities which I know are highly thought of and the voluntary work we do is very much respected. And along the way it has been a privilege to work with amazing people who achieve amazing things and who have overcome the curved balls constantly wizzing past us. 

I’m sad to call time but I’ve found myself becoming what you might call 'late autumny'. I truly believe that a fresh approach now with new ideas and priorities will set the scene for a Friends charity fit for the future.

I wish Tricia who has been voted in as Chair to lead the Friends Trustees every success, I know she will do a grand job, with the ever-continuous excellent support of all the Trustees, Directors, and all the Friends Team.  

Thank you all for your support over the years. I am honoured to have been asked to take on the role of President and in accepting I hope I will do that honour justice.

With best wishes

Lesley Myland

In the picture: Trustees of the Friends of St Mary’s Hospital  Viv Tomlinson, Lesley Myland, Helen Foss, Tricia Smith, Jill Legg and Andrea Edgson