Chorley and South Ribble hospital to welcome stylish outdoor seating area

NHS Charities Together, a national membership organisation representing, supporting NHS Charities across the UK, have recently awarded Lancashire Teaching Hospitals with £94,500 in charitable funding.

So far at the Trust, the charity has funded NHS Hero Care Packs, NHS Heroes Hubs and hydration bottles for over 8,000 staff, as well as providing outdoor relaxation areas for those who have worked relentlessly through the Covid-19 pandemic.

One of these areas is at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital, where staff, patients and visitors are now able to enjoy breaks outside in the sunshine and spend all-important time together.

Paula Wilson, Head of Charities and Fundraising at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Thanks to the incredible fundraising efforts of amazing people across the country, we feel so privileged to be able to make some lasting improvements for our staff and enhancements for our patients.

"We hope these much needed new outdoor spaces provide a little break away from the work area, a peaceful space in the fresh air for our busy staff and members of the public to enjoy, particularly while the weather is good.

"We asked colleagues for their suggestions on what else the funds could be spent on, so I’m really looking forward to seeing more of these ideas come to fruition for the benefit of our extremely hard-working and dedicated teams at all three of our sites.”

There are more than 230 NHS charities across the UK and most of them focus on helping hospitals do more. Collectively, these charities give £1 million every day to the NHS so that people can stay well for longer and get better faster.

In recent years, NHS charities have funded major capital projects, pioneering research and medical equipment in hospitals, helping patients access the best possible care when they need it most.

They also play a key role in mobilising volunteers to support NHS staff, brightening wards and waiting areas with colourful and engaging art and building an important link between hospitals and their communities. Other NHS charities support mental health trusts, community health trusts and ambulance trusts.