Tamworth Hospital Auxiliary to operate hospital trade table again this year

Tamworth Hospital Auxiliary president Sally Cronberger is also looking forward to getting back to the trading table.

The auxiliary makes an extra dollar or two by operating a table within the hospital selling merchandise.

During COVID, the group providing financial support to the hospital through fundraising was not allowed inside to sell goods and wares.

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The 176 auxiliary branches representing 250 hospitals, 15 health districts and 5,000 members across the country raised $5.8 million in 2022.

But before COVID, approximately $11 million was raised.

"So we're down a bit," Ms Cronberger said.

The auxiliary planned their agenda for a year with relaxed COVID restrictions at the first meeting of 2023 on Monday, February 6.

"What we plan to do is enhance patient care, and make it a better experience for the patient, staff, and the patient's family," Ms Cronberger said.

First on the agenda is the annual golf day on Thursday, February 9, which includes morning tea and a raffle, and typically raises $2,500.

The group has existed since 1933, and its admin fees are paid for by NSW Health, so that every cent raised goes to the local hospital.

Without the local auxiliary, Ms Cronberger said there'd be a lot of little things the hospital would go without.

The government buys the necessities, "we add just that little bit of extra care", she said.

In 2022 the group donated lymphoma sleeves and two machines to the cancer council, and $28,000 to the podiatry clinic at the hospital.

"Because that's a very stretched resource, but that money allowed them to set up another room so they could see more patients," she said.

With an ageing demographic, the group is struggling to get new members to sign up.

"It helps out members, it helps the hospital, and it helps community," she said.

The group meets at 2pm on the first Monday of every month at Oaktree Lifestyle Village.

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