A group that has supported Barnet Hospital since 1952 raised more than £83,350 in its jubilee year.

Friends of Barnet Hospital's annual meeting last week was attended by the hospital's clinical lead of speech and language therapies Julia Selby, who thanked the group for cutting edge equipment its fundraising had paid for.

One of the group’s major achievements last year was raising £20,000 to pay for equipment to track swallowing for speech therapy, which Friends group secretary Diana Sterling Gallacher said "will put Barnet Hospital on the map”.

This year, the Friends, which raises most of its money through donations and running the hospital shop, is committed to raising £35,000 for a “badly needed” extension to the hospital’s fracture clinic waiting area and providing hearing loops for various clinics.

Mrs Sterling Gallacher added: “Last year was a very successful year. Hospital staff who received equipment were highly delighted.

“We’re going to keep plugging on, we’ve been going for 60 years and we’re looking forward more success this year.”