Campaigners will have to pay £26,500 for the failed legal challenge to the downgrading of Hemel Hempstead Hospital.
Dacorum Hospital Action Group (DHAG) has handed the cash to West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust to help cover its legal costs for the High Court action last year.
The judicial review was based on the way the decision was taken to shift full A&E to Watf
ord and planned surgery to St Albans.
The judge ordered DHAG to pay 40 per cent of the trust's legal bill after ruling the decision to move services out of the town had been made fairly.
The community raised thousands of pounds in a Gazette-backed campaign in support of DHAG to allow the review to take place.
This means the action group still has £23,000 left in its fighting fund.
DHAG chairman Zena Bullmore said: "Thanks to the generous donations from Dacorum citizens, and beyond, and to the publicity given by The Gazette, we have £23,000 left to continue our campaign after paying the legal costs."
She said the closures in Hemel Hempstead had resulted in a worse service to patients.
"We therefore in justice request that Hemel Hempstead Hospital's orthopaedic operating theatres and wards, and the other lost services, are returned at a very early date," she said.
