ALMOST 60 people attended a special lunch at Inwardleigh last week, for the Friends of Okehampton Community Hospital. Around £800 was raised from sales, donations and the raffle towards the new £7,000 blood monitor machine which the Friends want to buy for the hospital. The monitor will speed up the results of most blood tests by cutting out the trip to the laboratory in Exeter. A large donation of £2,000 towards the machine was pledged, which made the day even more worthwhile. Guest, journalist Zoe Kenyon, told the assembled company of the excellent experience she had enjoyed when having her baby in the hospital last year. She said she had felt like an individual who mattered and that the calm, high level of care she received had been quite outstanding. Jenny Reynolds, who has just retired from the committee of the Friends, explained the vital importance, not just of raising money, but also of increasing the number of Friends. She asked everyone to keep the ball rolling and to get their friends and neighbours to join as well as coming up with their own fund raising ideas and giving help when needed at events like the Okehampton Show, at which the Friends will be running a tombola and all contributions in bottles will be welcome. Chairman, Martin Perry, underlined the importance of having a large and strong body of Friends of the Hospital. The hosts at The Old Rectory were thanked for their kind hospitality, as were all those who cooked, gave food, and helped in any way. Much gratitude was also expressed to everyone who attended the lunch and for supporting the hospital in the long term as members of the Friends.