Thanks to donations to our Covid-19 Appeal, the Forever Friends Appeal at Royal United Hospitals Bath has been able to provide new entertainment systems for patients living with dementia among a range of added extras for staff and patients.

The charity supports NHS staff, patients and volunteers across Bath and the surrounding areas, and has been working to provide added extras through their urgent appeal, Help your Hospital Heroes. A recent grant from our appeal has contributed to this, enabling the charity to focus on the needs of dementia patients who have been adversely affected by coronavirus.   

For these patients, a stay in hospital can be incredibly lonely and anxiety-inducing, and the current visiting restrictions mean close family and friends are not able to comfort their loved one in hospital. The most recent grant to the Forever Friends Appeal has seen the charity purchase a variety of new equipment to keep dementia patients entertained, such as radios, bluetooth speakers and listening devices for those with hearing impairments. In addition to providing these much-needed comforts for patients, the grant has enabled the charity to fund outdoor seating areas and mental health support for staff.

Rhyannon Boyd, Head of Fundraising, said: 

“We would like to thank the public who donated to the NHS Charities Together Covid-19 Urgent Appeal. Thanks to people’s generosity we can provide the immediate support and meet the practical needs of our staff and patients in the weeks and months to come. Our frontline colleagues have been through a really demanding time. They’ve shown resilience, strength and spirit over the past few months, and now’s the time to give them the support they need to recover, take respite and prepare as we head towards winter.”