TODAY the Malvern Gazette calls on its readers to throw their weight behind our Ease The Pain appeal to buy a vital new scanner for the town's hospital.

The Friends of Malvern Community Hospital is aiming to raise £60,000 to buy an imaging device for a new pain clinic at the Worcester Road hospital.

The campaign is off to a flying start, with £1,700 raised from a fashion show, and £5,000 given to the fund by an anonymous donor.

Friends’ chairman Sheila Young said: “Thanks to these and other initiatives, we have gotjust over £19,000.

“That’s a great start, but we've got some way to go and we welcome everyone’s help in reaching our target.”

She said as well as big events like the fashion show, fund-raising carries on through events such as a weekly coffee morning at the Prospect View health centre.

“With a big appeal like this, we want all the help we can get,” she said.

“We urge people to organise their own events and we want people to come to us with their ideas for fundraising.”

She also urged people to get involved with the friends.

“There are 60,000 people in Malvern and we have only about 400 members supporting our work. Any new members will be welcome,” she said.

The C-arm image intensifier is an X-ray device vital for the precise delivery of painkilling injections.

Once installed in Malvern, it will mean patients, many ofthem elderly, will not have to travel to Kidderminster or Evesham for treatment.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust spokesman Claire Austin said: “We are very grateful for charitable donations which help us buy items of equipment in addition to those which are purchased as part of our annual capital expenditure budget for new equipment.”

Friends secretary Maureen Williams said: “We all know that the NHS can't afford to buy everything that it needs, and that’s why we raise money for things like this.”

John Wilson, deputy editor of the Malvern Gazette, said: “This important piece of equipment will help doctors ease the pain of patients in Malvern.

“We are determined to see this worthwhile appeal reach its target as quickly as possible, and are sure that it will be well supported by local people.”

More than 120 people attended the fashion show at the Bank House, Bransford.

It was staged by Jill Campbell of Malvern boutique Isis, who provided the clothes and the models, while local businesses set up trade stands and provided raffle prizes.

Mrs Williams said: “It went really well. Jill was fantastic and everyone really enjoyed themselves”

To find out more about the friends, contact Mrs Williams on 01684 575937.