FRIENDS of Lydney Hospital are celebrating 50 years of the Lydney Hospital Physiotherapy Centre this Saturday, June 7.

Viscount and Viscountess Bledisloe have allowed the Friends to use Lydney Park Estate to host a garden party where there will be cream teas from 2pm.

The present Viscount, Lord Rupert Bathurst is the great grandson of first Viscount Charles Bathurst in whose memory the Physiotherapy Centre was dedicated. It is called The Viscount and Bertha Lady Bledisloe Memorial. 

The centre opened in May 1964 and last Friday, on its 50th birthday, the first patient to attend the centre was presented with a basket arrangement of summer flowers to mark the occasion.

Secretary Mary Thurston, said: "We are hoping to see plenty of sunshine and lots of visitors to celebrate this special anniversary."