Bolton woman raises over £2,000 for Rochdale's Oasis Unit in memory of her father

Oasis Unit sister Courtenay Brennan and Lisa Kerford

A Bolton woman has raised over £2,000 towards a new garden space at Rochdale Infirmary's Oasis Unit after her father was treated on the ward.

Lisa Kerford was moved to fundraise after being impressed by the level of care her father received from staff at the unit.

To help raise sponsorship, Ms Kerford undertook the York Triathlon – a 400m swim, 18km bike ride and 5km run, on Sunday 14 July.

Earlier this month, she presented a cheque for £2,225 to unit sister Courtenay Brennan.

Ms Kerford initially set a target of £1,500 but surpassed this after receiving support from friends and family.

Employees at Ms Kerford’s company, Aptus Utilities in Bolton, also got involved by holding a charity bake sale, which made £175.

Ms Kerford said: “My father was admitted to this ward with complex medical issues but also suffering from Parkinson’s. All of the staff and volunteers in this ward were trained specifically to deal with dementia type illnesses and so the care he received prior to his sudden death was fantastic and reassurance for us all he was being looked after well.”

“After months of training and rallying for sponsorship for a great cause I can proudly say we have achieved more than £2,000 in funds for the Oasis Unit garden at Rochdale Infirmary – thanks to all the supporters and donators.”

The Oasis Unit is a 10-bed bespoke medical unit that provides specialist care for dementia patients suffering with acute medical conditions. The unit has been sympathetically designed for patients who have their own private room as well as access to a communal dining and social space. Patients are also assessed and treated by trained mental health nurses based in the unit.

Plans for the garden design are said to incorporate patients’ ideas and may include a music wall and bowling lane, as well as a heated seating area for winter.