A GROUP of fourth-form pupils from Cirencester Deer Park School who were putting in several hours a week working for Cirencester Hospital presented the hospital with a number of pieces of renovated furniture in 1969.

The pupils had been working for several months, repairing, renovating and redecorating chairs, tables, lockers and other pieces for the Memorial Hospital.

The scheme was arranged by Mr E Beer, assistant secretary to the hospital with Mr Peter Cottey, woodwork master at the school.

Between the two of them they arranged to have old and broken furniture sent from the hospital up to the school workshop where it was restored by the boys.

A hospital spokesman said: “I think Monday’s load was the second lot from the school which have been repaired, and very well they did them too.”

He added that a third load was to be sent to the school the following week.

Miss A McNeill, matron at the Memorial Hospital, received the load of furniture, chairs, tables and a bedside locker from three of the boys, Kenneth Gill, Michael Grendall and Cyril Griffin.

Miss McNeill commented, “It has been a tremendous help. These are things which would have been done by our own carpenter but since he has three hospitals to work on and is very busy, they have been done more quickly by the boys.” She added the boys had done a great deal of work for the children’s ward.

The pupils took no remuneration for their efforts although the hospital pays for the cost of the materials. Mr Beer told the Standard: “We work on quite a stiff budget and this renovation of furniture is just the type of work we need done.”