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Patients at Dewsbury Hospital will benefit from a new air con unit in the hospitals Multi-faith Centre which is used daily by staff, patients and visitors, thanks to a generous donation from the Islamic Cultural and Welfare Association (ICWA).

Liaising with MY Hospitals Charity, the registered NHS Charity supporting Mid Yorkshire’s three hospital sites in Wakefield, Pontefract and Dewsbury and in the community, the ICWA decided how best to spend the funds raised.

The Multi-faith Centre was one of the first of its kind to open in the 1990’s, where people can meditate and pray in hospital.

The aim of the charity is to raise and allocate funds for projects that elevate the physical and emotional wellbeing of patients and staff, and improve facilities and services across the Trust, which would not otherwise be funded by the NHS.

Mr Kasim Patel, Chair of the ICWA said; “The ICWA has a long-standing relationship with Dewsbury Hospital and it’s a privilege to have been able to help.

The collection was made by the local community and it’s good to know that the wider community will benefit.”

Mr Patel went on to say, “Any monies remaining of the donation left over will go towards MY Hospitals Charity MRI Appeal.”

The charity will launch its appeal to the public soon to reach the philanthropic target of £1.25 million for a new diagnostic suite at Pinderfields Hospital which will house a state-of-the-art 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner.

The £6 million development is almost completely funded, with Trust budget allocations and a grant from NHS England and thanks to major grants from local business Sovereign Health Care and from the national grant-maker the Garfield Weston Foundation.

The charity is asking the local community to raise the final £750,000 by the end of the year.

Keith Ramsay, Chair of Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust said;

“On behalf of the Trust I would like to say thank you to the ICWA for their fundraising efforts which both our patients and staff will benefit from. We want to offer the very best facilities at our hospitals and their generous gift has enabled us to improve our Centre which we are very appreciative of.

I also wish to thank them for their commitment to support our MRI Appeal which is one of the largest projects the Charity has ever appealed for. Having their backing and donation is very valued.”