Press release – 29 March 2018
2018/025

Local sculptor donates piece of his work to Hereford County Hospital.

A local sculptor has donated a piece of his work to Hereford County Hospital to thank staff for the excellent care received during his cancer treatment. 

The wooden carved sculpture, named ‘Zenith’, which is 12 feet high, is located at the Union Walk entrance to Hereford County Hospital, on the grounds outside the old Chapel. 

Paul Caton, 67, of Lingen in north west Herefordshire, has experienced first-hand the excellent care and treatment provided at Hereford County Hospital and the Macmillan Renton Unit.  Throughout this personally challenging time Paul has been overwhelmed by the care and kindness he has received from NHS staff at Cheltenham, Worcester, Kidderminster and mainly at Hereford where he is still receiving treatment.

Paul said: “My journey has been a very positive experience and the empathy and care shown by the NHS staff has been moving.  My local community of Lingen has been very supportive and even relative strangers have expressed friendship and support in many ways which has helped in my recovery.

“Being diagnosed with cancer is life changing, but we have an amazing health service, which is so advanced, and there is so much research taking place, it has really inspired me”.

“Donating the sculpture is my way of thanking everyone.  It is sculpted in Oak from the Newport House Estate near Almeley, which ensures its Hereford pedigree! It was carved from one huge log, entitled 'Zenith', and is over 12 feet high”.

Katie Farmer, Wye Valley NHS Trust Fundraiser, said: “We are very grateful to Paul for his kind donation of ‘Zenith’ for patients, visitors, and our staff to admire, and it has already sparked a lot of interest.

“As the NHS celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, we are delighted to also join Paul to celebrate his 50th year as a sculptor.  We would also like to thank our PFI Partners Sodexo who managed the installation of the artwork.”

Paul has had many one-man and joint exhibitions and his work is in private and public exhibitions in Britain, Europe and the USA.  If you would like to find out more about Paul’s sculptures he will be showcasing his work at the Brampton Bryan Exhibition taking place on 31 March to 15 April 2018, and he welcomes visitors.  Alternatively, please look on his website www.paulcaton.com to find out more.

Photograph

Paul Caton pictured below with the donated sculpture ‘Zenith’

Ends

Note to editors:

Wye Valley NHS Trust is a provider health services across Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust exists to improve the wellbeing, independence and health of the people we serve. We are the leading provider of health care in Herefordshire.

By working closely with our partners, we can make good our promise to deliver a quality of care we would want for ourselves, our families and our friends.

With an estimated annual turnover of around £180 million, we employ around 2,700 plus staff. We aim to build new relationships between our staff, patients, service users and their carers with the wider community.

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