The Winton Club Information

The Winton Club is a non-profit service organization with a membership of more than 200 women devoted exclusively to the support of the Winchester Hospital. It's history is closely tied to the history of the hospital itself. Today, the two sources of income for our annual giving are the sales at the Winton Gift Shop at the Hospital, as well as the proceeds from our annual Cabaret Show. In 1911, 12 ladies responded to an appeal to meet regularly to sew linens for the Cottage Hospital. They called themselves the Winton Club, in honor of Winton, the ecclesiastical signature of the Bishop of Winchester, England. The sewing of linens was discontinued as a Winton Club project in 1979, but nevertheless, portions of the yearly gifts from the Club remain dedicated toward the Hospital linen budget. In 1948, the Club organized a Gift Shop in the hospital, and a canteen which later became known as the Coffee Shop. These shops continue to render a much needed daily service to patients, visitors and staff. Although the hospital assumed operation of the Coffee Shop in 1977, the Winton Club continues to maintain the Gift Shop with our member's volunteer hours. Since 1920, the Winton Club has sponsored an annual Cabaret during the last week in January, usually in the Winchester Town Hall. Supported by a volunteer cast from Winchester and its surrounding communities, Cabaret is enjoyed by an audience in excess of 2000 people during its 5-night run. A beautiful playbill complements the Cabaret program and music, acknowledge our patrons and sponsors, and provides an advertising medium for many local businesses. Winton members are proud to provide over 5000 volunteer hours of in-hospital service, in addition to hundreds of hours outside the Hospital each year. Through the effort of our Winton Club volunteers, Winchester Hospital has benefited from over $3,000,000 in special gifts, purchases of equipment and patient linens.