Words by Smiley Team
Sir Norman Stoller made his fortune with the invention of the tubular bandage, and has gone on to become one of the UK’s most influential philanthropists.
Sir Norman, 86, has donated millions of pounds to good causes, mostly in and around North West England, as his company Seton Healthcare was based in Oldham, Greater Manchester.
His financial philanthropy began in 1982 when the Stoller Charitable Trust was registered, and since then the businessman has donated to hundreds of projects, with a focus on healthcare and youth work.
In 2012 he created the flagship youth centre Mahdlo in OIdham, which provides activities, support and guidance for young people in the area.
Sir Norman has also made large gifts to the University of Manchester to support their research centres, and to building Maggie’s Centres, places where cancer patients can go for support and access to both healthcare specialists and a network of others going through a similar experience.
Reflecting on his decades of giving, Sir Norman has said: “I am in a very fortunate position of having a lifestyle that I enjoy, of being able to afford anything within reason that I wish to acquire, and I find myself with far more money than I need, so why on earth shouldn’t I give some back?
“I liken it to people in a house: I say, “Imagine you had a lounge full of furniture, and wanted to change the suite, are you just going to pile more in? Or get rid of some?” And they say, “Get rid of some, of course”. Well, for goodness sake, how much money does one need?”
One of his latest gifts was to help build a helipad for the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT).
The state of the art landing pad, which has been built on top of the hospital trust’s car park on Oxford Road in Manchester, will help both adults and children to be recieve lifesaving care more quickly in the aftermath of a trauma.
The new helipad could allow as many as 300 patients to be airlifted to hospitals in central Manchester each year, and is expected to save lives across the North West by increasing the chances of an improved level of recovery for many seriously ill or injured patients.
Alistair Rennie, Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Major Trauma at the MRI and RMCH and Group Clinical Lead for Emergency Planning said: “The helipad will benefit major trauma patients across Greater Manchester and beyond, including people who have suffered serious injuries in road traffic accidents, assaults, sudden illnesses or falls in areas difficult to reach by road ambulances.
“I am delighted that this development is now a reality, as for many patients our helipad could represent the difference between life and death.”
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