Tributes to NEDSCAN charity founder Jack Westlake whose drive raised more than £1,00,000 for Chesterfield Royal Hospital's life-saving and life-changing equipment

Jack Westlake launched the fundraising drive in 1979 in memory of his wife Mavis following her death from a brain tumour.

He was awarded the British Empire Medal and the Derbyshire County Council Excellence in the Community Award in recognition of his efforts.

Jack initially formed the Mavis Westlake Cancer and Hospital Equipment Fund Registered Charity, known colloquially as NEDSCAN, in 1979 to raise £500,000 for a CT scanner. Within five years the target was achieved and the plan came to fruition.

Andrew Loveridge, the then Director of Diagnostic Services, said: “At the time, we were the first hospital in the Trent region to have a CT scanner which was an amazing achievement. The money raised also helped us to buy the associated equipment to enhance the scanner and make it the best it could be.

"It really is a testament to the get-up-and-go attitude of Jack and his team of volunteers that he turned such a personal tragedy into an achievement that benefitted so many people.”

A second project to raise £180,000 for a state of the art breast screening mammography unit was launched in 1992. That unit was installed two years later with a second phase, providing a bone mineral density scanner, completed in 1999.

More work followed with a Field Analyser installed for diagnostic eye diseases in 1999 along with further life-saving or life-changing equipment bought for the ear, nose and throat department, neonatal, paediatrics, opthalmology, maxillofacial and cardiology before the charity went full circle and Jack unveiled a second new CT scanner in 2008.

At the time Jack said: “It seems like only yesterday when that first scanner was installed and I feel it’s the least I can do to help after all the work the hospital did for my wife and for me over the years."

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Jack enlisted many friends to help him in his mission – all on a voluntary basis. The core fundraising support came from pubs, working men’s clubs, community groups and the pigeon racing community among many others.

He gained the support of the Duchess of Devonshire (latterly Dowager) who was president of NEDSCAN for 20 years and also from the famous Derbyshire wildlife artist Pollyanna Pickering.

NEDSCAN was formally closed as an independent charity in April 2017 and was absorbed into the Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust General Charity.

A Book in Memoriam, held in Chesterfield Museum, contains the names of hundreds of people in whose memory donations have been made, together with a summary of the NEDSCAN story.

Atul Patel, who chairs Chesterfield Royal Charity, said: “Jack has left a lasting legacy at the hospital, thanks to his incredible fundraising efforts over the years and we will forever be grateful to him. It’s individuals like him that make the difference, allowing the charity to provide equipment and facilities that go above and beyond and make Chesterfield such a special place.

“We are incredibly grateful and will always appreciate and remember what Jack’s efforts achieved.

“On behalf of all of us at Chesterfield Royal Hospital and the Chesterfield Royal Charity, we would like to offer our condolences to all Jack’s family and friends during this time.”

Edward Westlake, the youngest of Jack’s two sons, said: "My father was a remarkable man. He had insight, vision, energy, dogged and a fearless determination to fulfil his hopes for the charity. He was very funny, a remarkably good speaker and had enviable social and sporting skills. He was simply good company, a free spirit with a flexible approach to life. All those who knew him witnessed his great generosity and hospitality.”

Jack was born in Liverpool where he was named John Charles Westlake. He left grammar school to work when he was 15 and signed up for the army when he was 17 in 1939. Jack joined the Cheshire Regiment and quickly became an officer cadet. He reached the rank of Captain. During the war he learned many skills. He was a dispatch rider a gunner, a tank transporter driver and became a competent horseman. He was deployed to Germany after the war as part of the British Occupation Army of the Rhine.

In 1946 he married Mavis Robinson at St James' Church, Barton under Needwood, Staffs. They had two sons, David and Edward. Jack left the army in 1949 to return to family life in England and ten years later he resigned his commission as Captain.

Jack was area sales manager for Truman's and later John Smith's Brewery, retiring in 1987.

A particularly good cricketer who frequently topped the batting averages, Jack opened for the Truman’s Burton team and appeared several times for the Mayor of Burton's invitation eleven.

He was a fine and fast-moving hockey player who was a first 11 regular for the Chesterfield club into his mid-50s. His swansong was arranging a memorable match between the club’s first team and an all-star Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire side at the Queen’s Park ground.

Having been a robust and vigorous man, Jack developed dementia and became physically frail. He lived in his own home until July 2021 but moved to Heather Vale Care Home for the last year of his life. He died peacefully at the care home with family around him on August 15.

Jack is survived by his sons David and Edward, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

The funeral will take place on Friday, September 16, at Chesterfield Crematorium in Brimington followed by a wake at Jack’s home, 30 Pennywell Drive, Holymoorside, S42 7EY.