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Updated: Volunteer group considers renaming hospital cafe following Savile sex abuse scandal (but should it be Cafe@WRVS or Poppa’s?)
A Stoke Mandeville Hospital cafe honouring Jimmy Savile could be renamed after a string of sexual abuse allegations against the late DJ.
Jimmy’s was opened in the spinal injuries centre by Savile in 2005 for patients and visitors in recognition of his fundraising for the unit.
However, following the revelations the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service, which run Jimmy’s, said it is considering a change.
Chief executive, David McCullough, said: “We are working closely with Stoke Mandeville Hospital to assess whether it is possible to change the name to ‘Cafe@WRVS’, aligning it with other hospital cafes across Britain.”
Chairman of the Poppa Guttmann Trust and friend of Savile’s, Mike Mackenzie, said Cafe@WRVS was a ‘bland’ choice of name and he would prefer for it to be called Poppa’s after founder of the spinal unit, Ludwig ‘Poppa’ Guttmann.
He said: “I think it would be a shame to name it that. The vast majority of Stoke patients past and present would like it to be called Poppa’s. The timing is absolutely perfect.”
Mr Mackenzie said he had emailed Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust boss Anne Eden recommending the name.
Ms Eden told him it was ‘a good name’ but they were not ready to make a decision yet.
The spinal injuries patient said he is now writing to the cafe volunteer group advising them to name the cafe Poppa’s.
He said he was unhappy with the trust’s handling of the Savile saga.
“I’m just as totally confused as anyone else. I’m rather disappointed with a lack of clarity, decisions or anything coming out of the trust.”
Aylesbury MP David Lidington said he could see the case for renaming the cafe after the late doctor.
There are a growing number of claims Savile groped children at the hospital. Already five women and one man have reported abuse by Savile. There are also claims the late DJ took patients into his dressing room at the BBC after inviting them to watch Jim’ll Fix It.
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Weather for Aylesbury
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 15 C
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