Hospital staff heading to Malawi appeal

THREE more clinical staff at Coventry's University Hospital are heading to Africa to help improve medical conditions there after receiving a fundraising boost.

The International Committee of The Rotary Club of Coventry raised £2,000 last year for Health Link Malawi charity which sends clinicians from the hospital to Nkhotakota, Malawi.

It was the committee's chosen charity from July 2007 to June 2008 and during the year it raised money with a cheese and wine evening, theatre trip, an Italian themed evening, a strawberry tea and carol singers.

The Rev Viv Gasteen, of Central Methodist Hall in Coventry, was chairman of the committee. She first heard about the charity's work when Dr Keith Struthers, who is director of microbiology at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust and secretary of Health Link Malawi Trustees, gave a talk to the club.

She said: "The previous year we had helped raise money for a charity that supplies clean water to villages in Africa so when Dr Struthers gave his talk I knew it was something we would be keen to help with."

Bryan Stoten, chairman of Health Link Malawi, accepted the cheque on behalf of the charity.