STALWART volunteer Mr Frank Wilson has been awarded a Certficate of Merit for Outstanding Services after helping Watford General Hospital's League of Friends for more than 40 years.

The presentation was made by the fundraising group's chairman Mr Philp Hopkins during a special recption held at Rivercourt Nursing Home in Explorer Drive, Watford.

The League of Friends Committee and family and friends attended the party.

For four decades Mr Wilson has collected money for the hospital. He has raised many thousands of pounds by shaking a tin in the early years at the Peace Memorial site in Rickmansworth Road and then at the general hospital in Vicarage Road.

He could be found every Sunday in the foyer of the Outpatients' Department wih his collecting box.

He has sold raffle tickets door to door, helped with bingo sessions and teas and, for the past 30 years, has been a committee member throughout.

Many will remember seeing Mr Wilson in Watford Market where, after his retirement from Benskins Brewery, he helped out and persuaded countless market stall-holders to donate meat, fruit, vegetables, flowers and other produce as raffle prizes.

The League of Friends buys medical equipment and other necessities for the comfort of patients at Watford General.

In the past three years, it has raised money for a scanner for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (£35,000 ), monitors for the Intensive Care Unit (£3,000 ), chairs for the elderly on Letchmore Ward (£2,500 ), an ultrasound scanner for the Breast Unit (£12,000) and a Duplex Scanner for the Dermatology Department (£20,000 ).

July 4, 2002 15:30