A time capsule marking a milestone in the development of the Friarage Hospital has been found a home in the heart of its new surgical unit.
The capsule has been placed in an ornamental house in the central garden of the Northallerton hospital’s £35.5m surgical centre.
The house, crafted by members of Northallerton Men’s Shed, was unveiled by Rishi.
Made of timber and stained glass, it contains photographs of the old hospital operating theatres, surgical instruments from the time and a brick that Mr Sunak signed when work was underway on building the surgical centre in 2024.
Rishi, who helped secure the Government funds required to build the new centre, said it was an honour to unveil the time capsule in its new home.
“Talking to the centre’s staff today, it was clear how much they like working in what is a state-of-the-art facility,” he said. “But they also have fond memories of the old operating theatres, despite their shortcomings in later years, and it is important that those memories are preserved in this way.
“The team at Northallerton Men’s Shed have created a beautiful structure to house the time capsule and I thank them for their contribution, along with the Friends of the Friarage Hospital who came up with the idea.”
Sarah Baker, assistant director of nursing, said the surgical centre, which opened in July last year, was operating at full capacity. On its busiest day, 65 surgical procedures were carried out in one 24-hour period.
She said: “The feedback we are getting from patients using the centre has been universally positive and the staff are loving their new working environment. It has made such a difference to the hospital.”
Chris Riley, of the Men’s Shed, a community workshop based at Northallerton Auction Mart, said the members had been delighted to create the housing for the capsule. The house was wood and stained glass and illuminated at night thanks to some solar panels incorporated in the structure.
The opening of the surgical centre last year was a major milestone in the hospital’s history, securing its future after a period of uncertainty.
The new operating theatres and day surgery unit have doubled the number of operations being carried out at the hospital.
