A community NHS trust has turned down £2,500 in donations from a group of men who raised the money dressed as female nurses.
Put together by the Shropshire-based League of Friends, the charity push is an annual event where a group of men dressed in drag as female nurses runs around the town collecting money for their local NHS trust. It has gone on for around 20 years
However, Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust has turned the money raised down this year because chief executive Jan Ditheridge was not comfortable with how the men portray medical staff.
‘It isn’t okay to portray healthcare professionals in this way,’ she told the Shropshire Star. ‘We have previously asked that this doesn't happen and therefore don't think it's right to accept any money associated with this activity. I'm sure the event was organised with the best intentions and we are sorry if it's made people feel uncomfortable or embarrassed.’
League of Friends chair Peter Corfield hit back, saying they had not had ‘one single complaint’ from the public and that the event was initially set up years ago in collaboration with NHS staff.