An east Suffolk community hospital celebrated its 115th anniversary with the return of a sundial that had been gifted to a local celebrity.

Staff, patients and their families were joined by councillors and representatives of the Felixstowe Community Hospital League of Friends for the birthday in the Constable Road hospital's grounds on Wednesday.

The celebration also marked the return of sundial that was gifted to Joan Rich after she had retired as a nurse at Felixstowe in 1978.

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L-r: Felixstowe mayor David Rowe, Matron Michelle Fletcher, Roy Gray from the League of Friends and Joan Rich's daughter Diane Rich with the sundial that has been returned to the hospital groundsL-r: Felixstowe mayor David Rowe, Matron Michelle Fletcher, Roy Gray from the League of Friends and Joan Rich's daughter Diane Rich with the sundial that has been returned to the hospital grounds (Image: Submitted) During the Covid pandemic, Joan, who has since passed away, walked 102 laps of Allenby Park to mark her 102nd birthday and raise £35,000 for NHS charities.

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Her daughter felt it would be fitting to return the sundial to the hospital gardens.

The hospital land and building was originally gifted to Felixstowe by the Croydon family in 1908, with the first stone laid by Mrs Jervis-White-Jervis.