THE GROUP supporting Dursley’s community hospital is calling on the public to help find a name for the ward.

Vale Community Hospital opened in December 2011 after a £10m building project but has yet to find a suitable name for its 20-bed ward.

Now the League of Friends is inviting people to propose a name and are set to pick a winner later this month.

Dursley mayor and chairwoman of the hospital's League of Friends, Cllr Jane Ball, said they were delighted to help in arranging for the ward to have an individual name.

“We were approached by staff at the hospital who thought it would be a good idea to name the ward and asked the League of Friends to organise suggestions.

"Since it’s opening Vale Community Hospital has been a welcome part of the area. "The hospital name was successfully picked by the people in the area, and we are sure that they will have some good suggestions for the name of the ward.”

Suggestions can be dropped into a ballot box in the hospital’s reception area or can be emailed to the league’s secretary Val Watts at valeriewatts330@btinternet.com

The closing date for nominations is Wednesday 25 June, with the League of Friends planning to meet and pick a winner the following day.

Once a name has been selected a plaque will be produced and relevant signs around the hospital replaced.

Caroline Harper-Easthope, a stuff nurse at the Vale hospital, proposed the idea of a ward name at a trust meeting and the league has taken up the project in order to involve the local community.

“I recently moved to the Vale and had never worked on a ward without a name before, so suggested it would be a nice idea.

"My colleagues here were very supportive and we’re all looking forward to seeing what is chosen!”

Vale Community Hospital replaced Berkeley Hospital and the Sandpits Clinic and features an in-patient ward, a wide range of outpatient clinics, a minor injuries unit and x-ray department.

Names so far that have come forward include Lister Ward and Jenner Ward after Berkeley’s illustrious former resident Dr Edward Jenner who invented the world’s first vaccine, which treated smallpox.