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Diamond Jubilee celebration for Thornton Heath Bus Garage and Route 109

RM 2217To commemorate its diamond jubilee of Thornton Heath bus garage and route 109, Arriva will be running four of its historic Routemasters from the Arriva Heritage Fleet on Route 109 on Saturday 9th April, and instead of collecting fares, they will be asking travellers to donate to The Friends of Mayday Hospital Charity. 

Within 500 metres of Arriva’s Thornton Heath Garage, the hospital is well served by Route 109 run by Arriva London. Both the garage and Route 109 celebrate their Diamond Jubilee in April, so with this in mind Arriva has teamed up with the Friends of Mayday Hospital to mark the special occasion.

Friends of Mayday Hospital FlyerThe Friends of Mayday Hospital charity first started 55 years ago, just as the then new hospital buildings where being completed. A subscription to the charity at the time was 2/6 in today’s money 12.5p

The aim of the charity was, and is to this day, to raise funds to provide equipment and comforts for patients and staff in the hospital. 

Its first purchase in 1956 was a cloak for the Matron, to keep her warm at night as she moved from building to building. Today the Friends raise an average of £100,000 a year, and have recently bought essential items such as six wheel chairs and a mobile ultrasound machine for the intensive care unit.

The special service is subject to final amendments, but the proposed timetable can be downloaded from here (updated 6th April 2011).

Published: Fri 25 Mar 2011Modified: Thu 14 Apr 2011

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