Generous donations to NHS Charities Together are helping community charities continue their vital work supporting vulnerable individuals, through Community Partnership Grants delivered via NHS charities throughout the UK.
The Chinese in Wales Association (CIWA) is one of many charities to have received vital funding in a recent £4.8 million grants award from NHS Charities Together to tackle a range of issues including isolation and supporting mental health.
Before the pandemic, the Swansea-based charity provided a range of face-to-face befriending services to support the elderly, carers and other vulnerable people in their community. With rising demand due to Covid-19, the Chinese in Wales Association launched online support services.
Their grant of more than £34,000 via Swansea Bay Health Charity will help the charity to provide multilingual counselling sessions and wellbeing activities to vulnerable adults to improve mental wellbeing.
Describing the issues affecting their community, Weiling Yu, Chinese in Wales Association project officer, said:
“The mental health impact on the community has been immense for a wide range of reasons. Financially, many people we support are experiencing losses due to working in hospitality, have had to close their businesses and lose their jobs. There are also elderly people living on their own, their children having moved out of Wales and unable to visit them.
“Loneliness is a real issue along with the language barrier for those for whom English is not their first language. We provide translation services and help those who need support to understand the latest Covid guidance and vaccination information to protect themselves and others. A doctor volunteers for us to help advise those with health concerns.”
Thanks to the NHS Charities Together Community Partnership Grant, the Chinese in Wales Association can continue to develop services at a time of great uncertainty.
Speaking of the difference the funds will make, Shirley Au-Yeung, founder of the Chinese in Wales Association, said:
“There is a Chinese saying which goes ‘The sun will always shine after the wind and rain’, and that’s what this funding feels like – light at the end of the tunnel. We’re delighted by the recognition for our work. It means we can pay for counselling and focus on support for the elderly, which is a real need. Thank you to all who support NHS Charities Together. It means we can continue to provide our vital services without worrying where the money is coming from. We admire all the NHS is doing and recognise the important role our charity plays in supporting the NHS.”
As part of the NHS Charities Together community partnerships grants, Swansea Bay Health Charity was awarded more than £169,000 for a range of community initiatives including the Chinese in Wales Association’s project.
Deborah Longman, Head of Fundraising at Swansea Bay Health Charity, said:
“We’re delighted that thanks to donations to NHS Charities Together we are able to support many deserving projects in our area, including the brilliant work of the Chinese in Wales Association, to make a difference to individuals and help the NHS by supporting people in the community to live healthier lives.”
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Community charities are doing amazing work in their areas and together with NHS charities there is more we can do to help ease pressures on the NHS at this challenging time.
NHS Charities Together has so far allocated £125 million for a range of projects supporting staff, patients, volunteers and communities.
Through its 240 NHS member charities covering the UK, grants have been awarded for projects include counselling services and helplines to help support the mental health of staff, bereavement support for families who have lost loved ones, long-Covid research, funding thousands of emergency volunteers and support in the community. Funding has also supported staff with practical needs like food, drink and a place to rest, enabling staff to continue with their vital life-saving work.
With the impact of Covid-19 on the NHS workforce, the threat of a third wave and clinics busier than ever, NHS Charities Together needs to continue to be there for the NHS and wider communities, which is why continued support from the public is so vital.
Help us to continue making an impact where it’s needed most.
