The new chairman of the Northwick Park Hospital League of Friends has paid tribute to his predecessor as he outlined his vision for the future.

John Wythe, 70, takes over from Derek Jones, who, alongside his wife, Jean, ran the League of Friends for the past 18 years.

He oversaw a number of changes to both the hospital and the way in which his committee operated and continued to work tirelessly to raise funds for staff and patients at Northwick Park.

“Derek deserves recognition because he did so much for the League of Friends, having been involved for the past 28 years,” John explained. “He’s a really interesting character and he’ll be a tough act to follow.”

John, who still works on a number of business ventures alongside his role at the League of Friends, noted how, compared to 84-year-old Derek, he is a relative youngster.

“I think he felt as if it was time to step down, having been there for so long. My intention is to try and keep moving things forward, to try and embrace technology as much as possible and get younger people involved,” he said.

He added that he understands how the League of Friends is more accessible to older people since they have more time on their hands and are likely to have a closer relationship with the hospital.

“A lot of us have been in at Northwick Park. I had a heart attack in 2002 and was treated there, Derek has been looked after before, as have many others,” he explained. “The work we do gives us a chance to give something back.”

John also noted that the League of Friends provides people with a great social opportunity since many of them now live alone.

And in spite of a system change, which saw the number of volunteers drop from roughly 200 to around 40, he sees it as having a long shelf life for years to come.

“We’ll be here as long as the hospital is. Northwick Park opened in 1970 and we started fundraising in 1971. We’ve raised millions of pounds and there’ll always be lots of support,” he said.

The League of Friends runs a trader stand and a shop at Northwick Park Hospital where people can make donations.