As of 1 May 2020
NHS Charities Together has distributed an initial grant of £35k to all of its members. That membership has increased from 140 charities when the appeal launched on 23rd March to over 220 now, and each new member has been sent that initial grant.
NHS Charities Together has also sent out a second wave of grants, this time based on £7 per staff member in the NHS trust or trusts each of its member charities supports. As a result, it has handed out £20m so far.
Those grants include:
- £315,000 to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Endowments
- £112,000 to Western HSC Trust in Northern Ireland
- £164,500 to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board – Awyr Las Charity in Wales
- £182,000 to University Hospitals Birmingham Charity
- £196,000 to Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust Charity
- £140,000 to Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Charity
- £105,000 to Frimley Health Charity in Surrey
- £150,500 to Barts Charity in London
- £105,000 to Above and Beyond in Bristol
- £115,000 to Imperial Health Charity in London
- £119,000 to Southampton Hospitals Charity
- £161,000 to Leeds Cares
- £105,000 to Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity
- £147,000 to Nottingham Hospitals Charity
The charities are busy using the grants to support NHS staff, volunteers and patients. Examples include:
St Georges Hospital Charity in south London has so far received £98,000 and has installed wellbeing pods where tired doctors and nurses can take a power nap during long shifts. They’re also using the money to provide staff with daily Care Bags containing toiletries, hand cream, snacks, drinks and fresh fruit.
County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust Charity has so far received £87,500. They’ve used some of that money to provide food and welfare packs for staff working long hours and don’t have time get to supermarkets, which contained a selection of sweet and savoury choices, lip balm, hand cream, shower gel and shampoo. They have also bought iPads, covers and stands so that staff and patients can stay in touch with loved ones while they are isolated.
Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals Charity have so far received £89,000 and have kitted out six sleep pods for Department of Critical Care, theatres and anaesthesia as well as creating 12 wobble rooms so stressed out staff and volunteers have somewhere to go where they can switch off and relax.
