Almost 20 years ago, Ross-on-Wye welcomed the town’s first Royal visitor for 40 years when Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, opened Ross Community Hospital.

The opening event was a major celebration for the residents of Ross as they had to fight long and hard to get the Hospital built.

Twenty years later, the friends of Ross Community Hospital are planning to mark the milestone with a 20th Anniversary Strawberry Tea on Saturday, July 15th. They would love to hear from anyone who was working at the hospital on the day and remembers the event, or from anyone who has any photos. Jill Davies, Chair of the Friends of Ross Hospital is hoping to do a display board in the reception at the hospital.

The opening of Ross Community Hospital was reported in the Ross Gazette in 1997. They reported it as follows:

HER Royal Highness the Princess Royal, made local history on Tuesday, July 15th, 1997 as the first member of the Royal Family to visit Ross in 40 years.

The Princess Royal made an hour and a half long visit to officially open Ross Community Hospital.

She was greeted by the Deputy Lieutenant of the county, Sir John Cotterell, who is chairman of the Herefordshire Community Health NHS Trust.

The Princess met other members of the Trust, including chief executive Bob Izon, and project director for the scheme, Judy Thornby, as well as architect, Greg Brunt, and area director of Laing South West, the main building contractor, Martin Doe.

Elizabeth and Penelope Carless, aged six and ten, daughters of the hospital manager, Mrs Bronwen Carless, presented a posy to Her Royal Highness.

Accompanied by Mrs Carless, Princess Anne toured the hospital, meeting patients, local GP, staff and hospital supporters.

On the ground floor she saw the minor casualty department, meeting community nursing staff and representatives of the Hospital League of Friends, who raised funds for the X-ray department.

She also met patients and staff from out-patients, speech therapy, chiropody and the dental department.

On the second floor, the Princess met consultants and was taken by Sister Jeannie Bevan to the higher dependency ward. She met patients and staff in a ward bedroom and had a chance to see CCTV and technical systems at the staff base.

Sister Bevan then escorted Her Royal Highness back downstairs to the physiotherapy department, before she joined guests for a buffet lunch.

Before leaving, the Princess Royal unveiled a plaque in the entrance foyer marking the official opening of the hospital.

Penelope and Elizabeth, who presented a posy to the Princess, said they had learned to curtsy at their ballet lessons.

Penelope, aged 10 said: “Mummy told the Princess she was glad there were still heads on the flowers in our posy.”

Elizabeth, six, said: “I think her hair looks a different colour than it does on television.”

Mr George Bunting, a patient, had an early 90th birthday present when staff arranged for him to meet the Princess, because they knew she was a particular favourite of his. He said: “She asked me if I was a native Ross, and I said no. She asked me where I originally came from and I said Yorkshire.”

Mrs Denise Sainsbury was having treatment for her feet when she too met the Royal visitor. She said: “She was absolutely charming.”

Luke Hatch, aged five, whose mother is a cleaner at the hospital presented Her Royal Highness with a picture he had drawn of “good things,” including a church.

Chairman of the District Council, Mrs Ruth Lincoln, said: “I was delighted to meet Her Royal Highness and so were many people who have worked towards our new hospital.”

“Ross is so privileged to have this modern hospital, one of the finest in the county, combined with excellent staff.

“This morning I realised how fortunate the town and the surrounding area are to have so much care from doctors, staff and this new hospital.”

Read the full feature in this week’s edition of the Ross Gazette. If you attended the event in 1997, Jill Davies, Chair of the Friends of Ross Hospital, would really like to hear from you. If you can help, please email [email protected], and your details will be passed along.