Founded in 1966, the Friends is a registered, volunteer led, Charity (247336) that supports the Lewes Victoria Hospital. It aims to help our local community by donating equipment and contributing to projects that enhance services and facilities at the hospital.
We rely on the support of local residents and businesses as well as donations and legacies from grateful patients to fund these improvements. So far together, we have raised £6 million and in the last 5 years the Friends have been able to donate over £800,000 to improve equipment and facilities at the hospital.
Meet the TRUSTEES

Trustee
Colin Lloyd
Colin joined The Friends of Lewes Victoria Hospital as a trustee in July 2024. Initially he spent his working career in the charitable sector and later in business, either his own or mentoring other Business Founders. He mountain bikes on the Downs and has become familiar with the the Victoria Hospital having fallen off his bike more than once!
His focus for the Friends is assisting in maximising the Charities financial strength alongside building relationships with local business to secure its ability to support the hospital into the future.

Chair
Lesley Walton
Lived and worked in the Lewes area for 34 years with experience in leading and delivering digital transformation in Investment Banking and the NHS.

Vice-Chair
Camilla ferguson
Camilla has lived and worked as a Consultant Radiologist in Sussex for nearly 30 years. She joined the Friends as a Trustee in 2015 having hugely enjoyed working at the hospital for many years and having benefited from its care as her young family grew up. Her focus is on liaison with clinical services and developing the marketing strategy for the Charity.

Trustee
Sarah Pearson
Sarah Pearson BA Soc Psych MA Marketing DMI Pro was invited to join FOLVH as a trustee to use her expertise to improve engagement of the community to the charity. Her professional background in consumer behaviour, marketing and publicity experience has successfully helped FOLVH initiate groundbreaking valuable fundraising ideas that capture the interest of both individuals and groups within the area.

Trustee
rick ross
Rick worked as a general practitioner and anaesthetist in Lewes from 1984 until 2015. Rick was closely associated with the Victoria Hospital throughout that period. For many years the general practitioners of Lewes admitted patients to the hospital and oversaw their care as inpatients. We also relied heavily on the hospital for referrals to visiting consultants, imaging and use of the minor injuries unit.
Rick gave the anaesthetics for three operating lists a week and ran a preoperative clinic and, initially, oversaw the post-operative management. The surgeons were consultants from Brighton and always relished working at the hospital.
Having worked in many hospitals Rick could recognise the excellent standard of care patients received and high morale of the staff.
Throughout his career, access to a local hospital such as the Victoria was regarded as a privilege by all of his colleagues.

Trustee
JANE SALLIS
Jane Sallis has an extensive background in the NHS. She undertook her State Registered Nurse training at UCH, London and came to Sussex in 1980 working clinically for many years before holding a variety of operational positions in the local Hospitals Trust.
Jane has lived in Lewes for over 30 years.
Jane’s role as a Trustee has focused on fundraising and raising the profile of the Charity within the local community.

Trustee
JULIE BARNETT
I’m married to Steve with two daughters and a granddaughter, and family is very important to me. For seven years I’ve been the Dementia and Frailty Social Prescriber at Foundry Healthcare Lewes, where I support patients with dementia, their, and vulnerable older adults. Although I'm not a clinician I provide information and assistance on various concerns, closely with local services. I was honored to be approached by FOLVH and aim to use my experience to contribute to public awareness and support events.

Trustee
SIMON BAILLE-HAMILTON
Simon has been based in and around Lewes since the late 1980s, working and for a large part of that time living in the town. He is a keen sportsman also being a trustee of the Southdown Sports Club and understands the very important role the hospital continues to play for the people of Lewes and the surrounding areas. He and his family have personal experience in particular of excellent service provided by the Minor Injuries Clinic, the Urgent Treatment Centre, Day surgery and the Radiology department.
Simon has been a trustee for over twenty years, serving at different times as Secretary and Vice Chair.

