NHS Charities Together 💙

Sickle cell disease affects around 17,500 people across the UK and is a painful lifelong condition that can result in long periods of time spent in hospital. Thanks to funding we awarded to Valley Hospital Charity 💙, young sickle cell patients at Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust are better able to manage the condition and the impact it has on their lives. New equipment like treatment chairs and spirometers make their hospital stays more comfortable, and laptops help them to keep on top of their schoolwork and stay connected with friends. Watch the full video at https://lnkd.in/eScWb_iN to hear more about the difference it has made from the young patients themselves. 💙

As we approach the start of a new year, our CEO Ellie Orton OBE reflects on the incredible support that we received in 2024, the healthcare challenges that we are tackling together, and why the work of NHS charities continues to be more important than ever. 💙

Happy holidays from everyone at NHS Charities Together and the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir! We are so grateful to everyone who has supported us this year and all those who are working so hard to keep us healthy and safe this festive season. 💙

This year's Royal Carols: Together At Christmas carol service shines a light on individuals who have shown love, kindness and empathy towards others in their communities, and we’re delighted we were able to invite our wonderful fundraisers Grazyna and David as a thank you for all they’ve done to support us in our mission to make healthcare better for everyone. Grazyna took up running in her 60s and recently completed the 6 world major marathons before turning 70 as part of her bucket list – raising over £5,000 in the process! Grazyna chose to support NHS Charities Together to say thank you to the NHS for always being there for her through hard times. David has been growing and selling plants on his drive since April 2020 to bring his local community together and raise vital funds – raising over £35,000 and counting! 💬 David said: “I am getting the best of both worlds; doing what I love doing, gardening, which keeps me active and helps with my own health, knowing at the same time I am helping the community and improving the health of many others, by helping the NHS.” We look forward to watching the service tomorrow evening at 7.30pm on ITV and ITVX.

For many of us, the holiday season has now begun as we turn our ‘out of office’ messages on to spend time with our family and friends. Yet for NHS staff it’s a different story, with over half saying they are likely to miss a festive gathering with their friends or family or need to work extra shifts to cover for ill colleagues. They dedicate their lives to caring for us. Say thank you today by donating to our winter appeal at https://lnkd.in/eeQ5AAKV.

We were thrilled to partner with Omaze UK last year and raise an incredible £2,600,000 to support vital projects that will help more people survive if they have a cardiac arrest in the community. Giving CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and defibrillation can save a life during cardiac arrest, and recently, members of our teams came together with London Ambulance Service NHS Trust to take part in CPR training to see firsthand how the funding will make a difference, and learn lifesaving skills in the process! By providing people with the knowledge, skills and tools to lead healthier lives and respond effectively in times of crisis, we are working towards a future in which we can all live well. 💙

📣 CORPORATE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT 📣 Evology Parking and its customers have been supporting NHS Charities Together since February 2024. The charity round-up feature within their app gives customers the choice to donate when they book their parking session, and through this platform they have now raised an incredible £21,400. It just goes to prove how quickly micro-donations can add up into life-changing sums of money that will help to enhance healthcare services built around the real world needs of the people and communities that the NHS serves. We can’t thank the team at Evology Parking enough for their continued support and are excited to see what 2025 has in store for our partnership.

Funding we awarded to Brighter Futures GWH enabled them to purchase a rehabilitation treadmill that helps patients at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to practise walking and improve their mobility. Louise suffered a life-changing spinal cord injury in March 2023, but with the help of the treadmill and her physiotherapist, Alex, she is now able to get around her house without needing 24/7 care, only requiring a wheelchair when outside of the house. Watch the full video at https://lnkd.in/eAiQuMyw to learn more about this transformative piece of equipment.

We know that working in the NHS during the holiday season can take its toll on staff. This time last week, we were at London Ambulance Service NHS Trust where we were joined by the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir who brought some extra festive cheer to staff as part of the NHS festive giveaway. We were delighted to partner with Starbucks EMEA on this wonderful initiative for the fifth year in a row to show our gratitude for everything that our beloved NHS staff do for us.

For the last 12 months, we've been working together with The Gym Group (TGG) to break down barriers to fitness and create healthier communities. Up and down the country, over 240 gyms have been hosting all sorts of in-gym activities, including Santa Runs, TGG Games HYROX simulations and spinathons, and we’re thrilled to share that they’ve now exceeded their target and raised over £100,000 to help improve healthcare access and health outcomes for all. To support with our strategic aims of the partnership, we have now connected all TGG gyms with their local NHS charity to support with volunteering needs in the communities they operate in. The Gym Group also shared the Better Health ‘Every Mind Matters’ campaign back in May for Mental Health Awareness Week, to help more people make healthy changes with exercise. 💬 Clare Walker, Head of PR and Corporate Affairs at The Gym Group said: “It’s been a fantastic first year partnering with NHS Charities Together – a partnership that is driven by our shared values and mission, working together to break down barriers to fitness and support healthier communities around the country. A huge thank you to our teams and members for all the fundraising activities, exceeding our target for such great causes. And we look forward to another year working together, making a difference to the local communities we operate in.” A gold medal performance by The Gym Group, and we can't wait to continue our partnership in 2025 - thank you for all your support!