Hospital charity launches website and new ways to support patients

The QVH Charitable Fund has launched its own website at www.supportqvh.org and announced new ways for people to support the hospital and its patients.

The new website has been launched to coincide with the annual national Remember a Charity Week (17-23 September 2012) which encourages more people to consider leaving a gift to charity when writing a will. Legacies are important to our survival as a charity. 74% of us regularly give to charity in our lifetimes and, when asked, 35% of people are happy to give a small percentage of their will as a gift to a charity after they have looked after their family. But, as only 7% do so, there is much more to do to raise awareness. To achieve this, we’ve joined forces with Remember a Charity, the largest consortium of its kind in the UK working to promote legacy giving. For more information visit: www.rememberacharity.org.uk.

The charitable fund has also announced a partnership with Discover Adventure, a company that organises fundraising events for many national and NHS charities. The events are open to anyone who wants to raise funds for a favourite charity, either on their own or with friends, and range from walking and cycling to sailing and mountaineering, both locally and abroad.

We are also proud to announce that Sainsbury’s East Grinstead will partner with the charity’s ‘Peanut Ward’ fund for the next 12 months. Sainsbury’s colleagues will work with us to fundraise in support of the work of our recently refurbished children’s ward. So we are thrilled to accept their offer and are very much looking forward to working with an important local business partner.

Established in 1996 to manage money gifted to the hospital, the QVH Charitable Fund helps to provide even better care, and a better quality of life, for patients and their families following reconstructive surgery. Donations and support enable the fund to:

• Improve the hospital environment, so patients feel more comfortable
• Invest in additional, better equipment to improve the care QVH provides
• Improve facilities for hospital staff, so they can focus on patients’ needs
• Fund research and educational work, enabling QVH to continue developing new and innovative treatments for patients.

Dr Renny Leach, Chairman of the Charitable Funds Advisory Committee said: “Every day the staff at QVH do amazing things. The hospital provides life-changing surgery and care to every NHS patient who needs its expert services. But generous donations to the charitable fund mean we can do even more to rebuild lives, making patients and their families more comfortable, providing more and better equipment, and researching new treatments.”

In recent years, donations have helped fund a new outpatient unit in the children’s ward, research into the psychological aspects of breast reconstruction surgery and training placements at QVH for final year Brighton Medical School students, among other things.

The charitable fund encourages people to donate in a wide range of ways, including:

• Individual giving – anyone can donate online at www.justgiving.com/qvh-nhs or through the post
• Leaving a legacy – remembering us in a will with a lasting legacy, large or small
• Fundraising – doing something extraordinary, organising a special event or taking part in an organised fundraising event
• Corporate giving – making a regular donation from your salary or choosing the QVH charitable fund as your company’s nominated charity.

The new website at www.supportqvh.org gives examples of how the charitable fund benefits hospital patients and their families and provides details of how to donate, along with ideas, suggestions and opportunities for fundraising events. It also features the stories of people who have raised funds or benefitted from the charitable fund speaking about their experiences.

The QVH Charitable Fund currently has a number of places available for the 2013 Brighton Marathon for people who wish to run in support of the charity. A range of branded merchandise is also available, including pin badges, car stickers and mugs. Anyone interested in the marathon places, merchandise, or with any other fundraising ideas or suggestions should get in touch with our Charitable Fund Manager at qvh.supportqvh@nhs.net or on 0342 414170.

Next year (2013) marks the hospital’s 150th anniversary, and a range of events and fundraising initiatives are planned.