WHEN his beloved wife Beryl died last year, Graham Spyer decided he wanted to do something in her memory.

Former school cook Beryl, 72, of Rookery Park in Calne, was taken in to Great Western Hospital on Christmas Eve in 2009 following a fall.

She spent the following weeks being cared for in the Kingfisher Ward, but she never recovered and she died on February 17.

Husband Graham, 73, has since raised £1,400 to help create a relatives’ room on the ward.

He said: “I was in hospital with Beryl every day for the eight weeks that she was being cared for, just so I could help out.

“She had dementia, and had to have three further operations while she was in hospital. She was getting weaker all the time.

“I was travelling to and from the hospital every day and there was nothing here for patients’ relatives.

“They had said that they wanted to redecorate anyway so I decided there and then that I wanted to raise money and give something back for other families going through a similar sort of thing. I think Beryl would be very proud.”

The money, which was partly raised through collections at Beryl’s funeral, has helped buy new comfortable seating and reclining chairs to transform an unwelcoming doctor’s office into a relaxing room for relatives.

The walls are also decorated with paintings by Mr Spyer himself.

Ward manager Jacky Phillpott said the furniture was a welcome addition to the ward.

“We are very pleased,” she said. “It was a very cold room before, but now it’s a lot more friendly.

“The doctor used to bring relatives in here but it wasn’t ideal because it was just an office really.

“Sometimes we even had relatives sitting out in the corridors because there was just nowhere for them to go.

“It’s a lot better now and will really improve the overall experience for patients and their families.

“The doctor may still use the room on occasions but priority will always be given to relatives.”