The medic said the Princess Royal Hospital needed on site accommodation to attract much needed junior and middle grade doctors to Telford. It was something The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust couldn’t afford to do.

In response, Cllr Shaun Davies appealed to the public to help with a project to refurbish the houses. It led to donations of materials, fixtures, fittings, time, expertise and more than £30,000.

On Thursday 14 February, Valentine’s Day, all the volunteers, traders, companies, groups and town and parish councils who contributed were invited to the hospital to see the first two houses to have been renovated.

"This represents an incredible showing of support for this hospital and its community. 

"As everyone knows, it's tough working within the NHS at the moment, particularly in this Trust. 

"But here we stand, delivering top-quality, free accommodation that gives us an edge when people are deciding where to make their career. 

"I want to thank everyone who has been involved. This hospital belongs to the people of Telford & Wrekin; it's what they talk about and what they rely upon and everyone in this community has done an outstanding job to ensure we attract the brightest people to come and work here."

Cllr Shaun Davies, Leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, said: “Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this project. It has been breathtaking. Without them this wouldn’t have been possible. Our message is very clear. If you are a junior doctor, either somebody who is aspiring to be a doctor or a nurse, whether you live in Telford and Wrekin or Shropshire or further afield, we want you. We want you to come and work here in Telford and Wrekin. We have you to come and work in Shropshire. I think this is the start of something fantastic.”

Dr. Chris Mowatt, the consultant anaesthetist who came up with the idea added: “Junior doctors die on their way home from work; the mess at the last hospital I worked at was named after somebody who died on their way home because they were tired. They are going to be looked after here. They can have some breakfast, they can have somewhere to rest. It shows that we care about them. It shows that our community cares about our local hospital and we thank you so, so much.”

Thank you to all the following for their help in the project so far: 

•Alan Ball Flooring •CLC Contractors Ltd •Codelocks Ltd •Steve Cureton •Dawley Hamlets Parish Council •Denso Manufacturing UK Ltd •Dimension Data •Dulux Paint •Geomitre •GMB Wellington •Granville Construction •Great Dawley Town Council •Hadley & Leegomery Parish Council •Idris Contract Flooring •J Daniel Carpet & Flooring •Paul Jones •Mary Lewis •Limetree Landscape Services & Nurseries Ltd •Madeley Town Council •Margaret Malcolm •MCS Building Services Shropshire Ltd •Newport Town Council •Oakengates Town Council •Preece Burford Ltd •PROCare Ltd •QA Shropshire •Resin Floors Telford •Reviive Telford •Dave Roscoe •Shropshire Blinds •St Georges and Priorslee Parish Council •The Wrekin Housing Trust •Tikkurila •Emma Tilley •Trovex •TWS •Vortex Cleaning •Wellington Town Council •WSP •Wrockwardine Wood & Trench Parish Council.