Interviewer
Good afternoon. Could we start by me asking your name?

Denise Juggler
Certainly Denise Juggler.

Interviewer
And could I ask your age?

Denise Juggler
75.

Interviewer
And could I ask which friends group you’re talking about today?

Denise Juggler
King George Hospital.

Interviewer
Thank you. So Denise, have you always lived in this area? How’s it been for you?

Denise Juggler
Yes, I’ve always lived in Redbridge, which serves King George and yes, all my married life, and all different areas in Redbridge and King George has been my local hospital. So yes.

Interviewer
And I have a sense that you are quite involved in the local community, or you always have been. Is that fair?

Denise Juggler
Yes, I think it is fair. But it’s mainly to do with my synagogue. Nothing else really. Because I worked a lot in the family business, and I was working full time with young children. So my synagogue that I have been involved in since 1973, yes, I’ve hopefully contributed something towards the background, the running, the food, the hospitality, things like that.

Interviewer
Okay. So for those people who are listening who don’t understand much about the Jewish community. When you talk about do you look after each other, is there a big community programme? How does it work?

Denise Juggler
I suppose in a way, there are people who celebrate certain things in our community called bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah, when a boy and girl are 12, 13, and they might have a celebration after the service in the synagogue surroundings. And me, and my group, we would all type of cater things like that. Or for the festivals we have within our Judaism. And there’s several of them. And as with most religions, there’s a lot to do with food in each type of religion you belong to. So yes, that’s my contribution in the early days. Yes.

Interviewer
So how do you get involved with the friends of the hospital?

Denise Juggler
Exactly the same kind of thing, because I think somebody mentioned it in the synagogue, and I don’t remember who it was, but I think that they implied that King George needed a bit of help running the shop. Well, I’ve been in a sort of retail always, but a different sort of retail, and I thought, well, you know, I like meeting people, so I just thought, I think they must have told me who to approach, and that’s what I did. Yes, I think that’s right. Marie who used to be involved.

Interviewer
And how long ago was that? Roughly?

Denise Juggler
I don’t know, 10 years. I don’t know really.

Interviewer
Okay. So a while ago.

Denise Juggler
Yes, quite a while ago. You know, as we know, time moves very quickly and I just don’t remember exactly when that was.

Interviewer
When you, they got you involved, what did they get you doing exactly?

Denise Juggler
Oh, we were selling goods in the shop, and I really liked it. Very, a great choice of things, helping everybody, and all our money went to the hospital, I suppose it does with all leagues, and yes, I liked that. But we had everybody come. The police used to come if they were around, the ambulancemen, the nurses, the doctors, the patients, the visitors all used to come to the shop. And that was really great because you felt you were helping in some way besides, it wasn’t just the financial contribution, it was the rapport that you might get with people, and people who might come to the shop quite often.

Interviewer
And how often would you be there?

Denise Juggler
I only was doing one morning a week unless I was asked to fill in. So yes, that was my contribution, because at the time I was still doing other things, and probably I was still working as well.

Interviewer
So you’ve talked really clearly about all the different people you’d meet. What about other volunteers? Did you get to know other volunteers?

Denise Juggler
Yes. Yes. Well, I mean, obviously my actual partner in crime at the time was Ruth. Ruth, and I have been work doing Monday mornings for ages. But obviously then people had holidays. I met lots of different people, worked with them within the shop, and then obviously as things went on, it became a more personal thing that we would meet socially. And that has been going on for quite a while.

Interviewer
And League of Friends operate in different ways, and definitely shops are a common theme, but also there’s stuff like fundraising, sort of fetes, and all that sort of stuff. Does that happen at King George or not?

Denise Juggler
Not whilst I’ve been there. Okay. I haven’t been involved in anything like that. I had been involved with loads of those in my own synagogue, but not at King George. I only helped in the shop. There might have been things going on. I wasn’t aware.

Interviewer
So I’ve come across you more recently being involved in their committee as well.

Denise Juggler
Yes.

Interviewer
So how did they drag you in on that ?

Denise Juggler
I don’t know. I just, it was just a natural progression. I was involved, I had quite a lot to say. So it was good. I could come, and perhaps voice my opinions, but nevertheless, I don’t exactly know when it all emerged.

Interviewer
I have a sense that you are a lady who knows what she wants from life. Does the League of Friends meet your worldview in any way? Or is it something you just find yourself trundling along with?

Denise Juggler
I don’t feel trundling along. I feel that if I can contribute something, as I said, I’m not an administrator, but I’ve certainly got opinions on things, and if they’re at all valid or of any use, I’m glad to voice them. Other than that I’m glad to host people in my house to keep the committee’s side of it going, and all the helping side of it going because we’ve not at the moment got a shop. So it’s just keeping it sociable, and nice until we have some kind of shop to work in.

Interviewer
And do you feel that there’s still a need for groups like the Leagues of Friends supporting the NHS?

Denise Juggler
Yes, definitely. I don’t know how King George would have got all the equipment that we have raised money for if we hadn’t done work to do so. And that’s what surprises me about having, we are so vociferous in helping, in so many ways, and supplying the most huge variety of equipment. They don’t even ask me what the names are because I’ve got no idea what they do, even. I can’t believe how much money we’ve raised. And I find that very rewarding. Especially not just for me, all the people years ago who started it, and who have kept it going. So I think they definitely do benefit from us.

Interviewer
Well, I’ve loved meeting you this afternoon. When you knew I was coming, is there anything you felt you wanted to tell me you haven’t had the chance to say yet?

Denise Juggler
No, I don’t think so. I have voiced my opinions, and I don’t feel there’s anything much more I can say.

Interviewer
Brilliant. Well, thank you ever so much.