Huge donation to Lancashire hospitals from NHS Charities Together following Colonel Tom Moore’s heroic efforts

As a result of the coronavirus outbreak, NHS Charities Together, a national membership organisation representing, supporting and championing NHS Charities across the UK, recently granted £355,500 to the four hospital charities which operate across the region.

Charity teams at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust have each received large donations to help support hospital staff while they are working under such challenging conditions.

So far at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, the charity has funded NHS Hero Care Packs which included hand creams and face cream, and NHS Charities Together money has helped to create an NHS Heroes Hub for its 8,000 staff, as well as provide outdoor relaxation areas across the Trust.

Paula Wilson, head of Charities and Fundraising at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Thanks to the incredible fundraising efforts of amazing people like Colonel Tom, we have been awarded £94,500 from NHS Charities Together, which is already making a huge difference.

“The funds are so far going towards a beautiful outdoor space for colleagues at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital, as well as helping to support our NHS Heroes Hub, a supermarket where colleagues can go and pick up donated food, drink and toiletries for free.”

David Wilkinson, director of People and Organisational Development at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay, said: “We are incredibly grateful to have received £84,000 from NHS Charities Together, thanks to the many amazing donors and fundraisers who showed their support of our wonderful NHS staff.

“We have been overwhelmed by the support we have received over the past month, and have already used donations from the community to fund ‘Safe Space’ rooms for colleagues, additional support to colleagues needing to isolate away from their families plus providing baskets of fresh fruit to teams.”

Kila Redfearn, head of Blue Skies Hospitals Fund, the charity for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, said: “It’s been phenomenal watching people up and down the country come together to support the NHS, and thanks to NHS Charities Together, we’ve received £79,000 worth of grants.”

Christine Hughes, director of Communications and Engagement at East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, said: “Thanks so much to everybody who has supported the NHS and our staff during this really difficult period. Being a member of the NHS Charities Together means we can increase our spending on items to improve staff health and wellbeing, and will be consulting with staff on what would benefit them most.”