As part of our drive to support local charities, this week we are highlighting the important support provided Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust Charitable Fund.
About the charity
There are over 230 NHS Charities currently operating in the UK. While all NHS organisations receive funding from the government, fundraising via a charity helps NHS trusts make their budgets go further. These organisations exist to provide extra support to patients and staff, above and beyond what can usually be funded by the NHS. Most NHS trusts have their own registered charity, including us: Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust (NCH&C).
Operating across Norfolk, NCH&C provides health and care support to patients of all ages within their local communities. We operate out of GP surgeries, schools, patients’ homes, and our community hospitals. NCH&C’s Charitable Fund manages charity donations and works with trust clinicians to fund initiatives that will benefit patients and staff the most.
Over the past two years, many NHS Charities have diverted a large portion of their funding into relieving the immediate practical and emotional needs of staff and patients during the pandemic. This helped take pressure off an overstretched health service. During the height of COVID, our Charitable Fund supported many initiatives to support patients, staff, and volunteers at this incredibly challenging time. Projects included wellbeing support for patients, digital rehabilitation music therapy, mental health training for staff, devices to keep isolated patients connected with loved ones, specialist equipment, and funding for volunteers.
Beyond the pandemic, the Charitable Fund raises money to improve patient experience at NCH&C. Most notably, the charity has funded several redevelopments at trust sites, including the installation of garden rooms at Kelling Hospital and Dereham Hospital. These spaces allow staff, patients, and visitors to take time away from the wards to relax – very important for wellbeing and recovery.
Our funding also allows NCH&C to provide specialist equipment and services that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. In 2021, the Charitable Fund funded 12 months of music therapy: an alternative treatment not always available on the NHS, but one that can hugely benefit brain injury and stroke rehabilitation. The fund has also paid for dementia friendly clocks and eating equipment, to try to make hospital stays less distressing for dementia patients.
We always want to do more for our patients, and with your support, we can do more when they need us the most.
Spokes for Strokes raises £6k for NCH&C’s Charitable Fund
Following a major stroke in October 2019, 50-year-old Liane Miles from Hadleigh, Suffolk, spent ten months recovering in NCH&C’s Brain Injury Unity, Caroline House. The specialist rehabilitation team supported Liane as she regained her ability to eat, speak, and walk.
After just a few months in Caroline House, the first national lockdown meant Liane couldn’t receive any visitors. The staff at Caroline House worked hard to keep morale up, helping Liane and other patients use social media to keep in touch with loved ones.
Liane reflected on her rehabilitation at Caroline House:
"Although this was a very difficult time for me, the team at Caroline House made my time there easier and more bearable. They all know how to drag you out of the pit when you are feeling gloomy and put a smile on your face. They are so determined for you to recover that they will gently push you to meet your goals, even when you don’t feel you can do it. I am in awe of how they stay positive when faced with very difficult situations. They are hardworking heroes who need support to make their working life that little bit less stressful."
Back home with her family, Liane knew she wanted to fundraise for Caroline House to say thank you to all the staff who had supported her through her recovery. Liane organised Spokes for Strokes: a sponsored cycle ride from Ipswich Hospital to Caroline House, and back again. Over 70 cyclists took part in the 100-mile sponsored cycle in September 2021. Together, they raised £15,100 for Caroline House and the Stroke Unit at Ipswich Hospital. Around £6,000 of this will go straight to Caroline House.
Carol Plunkett, Charity Development and Project Manager at NCH&C’s Charitable Fund, explained the difference Liane’s fundraising has made for Caroline House:
“Liane’s sponsored cycle will directly benefit future patients who rehabilitate at Caroline House. NCH&C can now purchase extremely specialised physiotherapy equipment, which wouldn’t have been possible without Spokes for Strokes. It’s a fantastic testament to the skills and care of our staff when patients like Liane want to say thank you by fundraising, and it lets our staff know that their hard work is appreciated. A huge thank you to Liane and all her fellow fundraisers!”
Join in and host an NHS Big Tea Party
This July, join the nation and host an NHS Big Tea party to raise funds to support NHS staff, patients, and volunteers when they need it most.
On Tuesday 5 July, we’re inviting you to raise a cuppa to celebrate the 74th birthday of your amazing NHS.
Brew up a cuppa, spend time with family and laugh with friends or colleagues and take time out to relax and unwind. We have an assortment of resources for you to help organise your event, including bunting, coasters, signage, and posters as well as a fundraising game. Please contact us for a fundraising pack on charitablefund@nchc.nhs.uk.
Funds raised will help to fund improvements for patients of Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS trust, and the staff that deliver this vital service across the county.
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