Everyone at Raise was devastated to hear of the sad news that Captain Sir Tom Moore has died shortly after testing positive for coronavirus.
Raise and West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust are immensely grateful for the huge sum he raised as the NHS continued to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. In total, Captain Sir Tom raised £33 million for the COVID-19 appeal that was administered by NHS Charities Together.
Thanks to his amazing efforts, the accomplishments of fundraisers and the generosity of the public, NHS Charities Together has so far raised over £150 million through its COVID-19 Urgent Appeal, which launched in March 2020.
Raise – and the wider West Hertfordshire community – has directly benefited from this, receiving £135,000 from NHS Charities Together, allowing us to provide vital help to patients, staff and volunteers during the most challenging period in the history of the NHS. It has helped fund initiatives, projects and purchases, including the following:
- iPads for inpatients to be able to keep in touch with loved ones during this time of restricted visiting
- Refurbishment of office space into pastoral care suites for staff to receive specialist support
- Refurbishment of a bereavement room, counselling rooms and a multi-faith space
- Thank you gifts worth just over £1,000 for nursing staff on International Nurses Day
- A dedicated member of staff to support and manage Raise‘s COVID-19 response and related projects to ensure maximum support to the most needed areas
- The creation of a space for a COVID-19 response hub, enabling a dedicated team to be in place to safely receive physical donations
- Support for families of staff lost due to COVID-19
- Wellbeing care packs for frontline staff, including emergency toiletries, healthy high energy snacks, moisturisers and lip balm
Sofia Sheikh, Raise’s Charity Director, said: “Captain Sir Tom Moore’s generosity inspired the whole country to raise money for the NHS. What a remarkable legacy – and one that will continue to help NHS trusts all over the country, including right here in West Hertfordshire, as we continue to cope with immense pressures brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Thanks to Tom and a whole host of local fundraisers, we’ve been able to fund tech for our patients to communicate with loved ones unable to visit and refurbish spaces in our hospitals for the benefit of our hardworking staff. We were touched by what Tom did and were saddened to hear of his death. We shall never forget all he did. Thank you Captain Sir Tom.”
About NHS Charities Together grant funding
NHS Charities Together is the national charity caring for the NHS, made up of 241 NHS charity members based with hospitals, mental health trusts, ambulance trusts, community health trusts and health boards across the UK.
The funds raised by NHS Charities Together enable the health service to go above and beyond what would otherwise be possible. Through its member charities NHS Charities Together funds projects to improve services for patients and to help NHS staff and volunteers so that they can continue with their vital work.
Thanks to the amazing efforts of fundraisers and the generosity of the public, NHS Charities Together has raised over £150 million through its COVIC-19 Urgent Appeal, which launched in March 2020. Grants are being issued to member charities to provide vital help to patients, staff and volunteers during the most challenging period in the history of the NHS.
So far funds have been used for a range of projects providing practical and emotional support for NHS staff who are working in difficult circumstances to deliver life-saving care. Other funds have been used to support those experiencing bereavement as result of tragically losing loved ones to COVIC-19 or to help patients in their most isolated and stressful moments, when they have been very ill in hospital and separated from those they care for.
The latest Community Partnership grants are being issued to support areas including preventing admission to NHS facilities, helping people to return home as quickly as possible with the right care in place, supporting patients to recover well after leaving hospital, and seeking to remove health inequalities.
With COVID-19 continuing to put strain on an already stretched NHS, supporters of all NHS charities are making a huge difference for NHS patients, staff and volunteers. Thank you for supporting NHS charities, thank you for caring for the NHS.