The chairs, valued at $13,000, were the club's major project for the year, and were supported by the Lions Clubs NSW-ACT Public Health Care Foundation, which provided a $4580 grant towards the club's fundraising target.

Lion Crawfurd Hunt said the club had a long history of supporting the hospital, and felt the new $700,000 Urgent Care Centre, which opened in July, would benefit from additional state-of-the-art equipment. "We saw the Urgent Care Centre as a priority for Wauchope and wanted to help," Mr Hunt said.

The club's 31 members conducted sausage sizzles, manned the canteens at the Wauchope Show and the annual 4WD and boat show and organised other fundraising activities to ensure the UCC had treatment chairs that addressed the needs of patients, hospital staff and paramedics.

"We couldn't do what we do for the hospital, or any of our other projects, without the support of the community," Mr Hunt said.

"Whenever we do anything, the community is right there with us.

"They support the club because they know what we do, not only for our own community but for at-risk communities throughout the state, the country and the world, be it bushfires, floods, earthquakes or the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami.

"The community also knows that when they give their money to the Wauchope Lions Club, all that money goes to the appropriate cause - nothing is taken for administration," Mr Hunt said.

The Lions Club of Wauchope acknowledged the support of the Lions NSW- ACT Public Heath Care Foundation and thanked them for the grant. Foundation Director Brian McWhirter said the Foundation was part of NSW Lions and was there to support the Clubs in providing much-needed equipment to their local hospitals.

"The Clubs support the Foundation by regular donations and the annual Foundation car raffle," Mr McWhirter said. "This ensures that funds are available to the Clubs when needed."

The Hospital's Executive Officer/Director of Nursing, Ann Bodill, said she was delighted with the Lions Club's ongoing support.

"The Wauchope Lions have been so good to us over many, many years," Mrs Bodill said.

"They are a remarkable group of people who identify a need and then commit to it, no matter the size of the task. "They have the community at the front and centre of everything they do and they ought to be very proud of their achievements.

"The new treatment chairs are wonderful. They are modern, can fully recline and can be elevated for the safe transfer of patients to ambulances or to other beds.

"It's a great outcome for our patients, for our staff and for our hospital," Mrs Bodill said.

For information about becoming a Lion, contact Crawfurd Hunt on 0412 413 869 or email lioncrawfurd@live.com.au or visit the Lions web page, lionsclubs.org.au