West London NHS Charity - highlights of 2022

Highlights of 2022 

A message from Carolyn Regan, Chief Executive 

Over the past year the West London NHS Charity has led a number of trust wide initiatives to support patients and staff. Many of you may have taken part in the monthly brush parties or had a moment to pause during a busy day in the well-being zones. The trust charitable funds have helped fund the staff well-being experiences and offered patients extra support with their mental health journey and recovery.   

We are a small charity with a big ambition: we want to make a difference to patients and staff. The charity has been on a journey in the last 12 months with a brand new look and I am encouraging you to continue to help raise our charity profile.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time, effort and enthusiasm to support the West London NHS Charity. Please think of raising much needed funds when you contemplate any sort of fund raising activities. Every single penny goes to a good cause. 

Message from the West London NHS Charity Chair – Elizabeth Rantzen

Thank you so much to everyone who has contributed in any way to the West London NHS Charity this year, whether you took part in a run, a bake sale or organised collections among colleagues. To all the people who have come forward with imaginative proposals for how we can use the funds – thank you.  As you can see, there have been some wonderful ideas that we have been able to fund - many of them really quite inexpensive - which has made it one of our most exciting years ever. Lastly thank you to the whole Charitable Funds Committee for all their efforts - let’s keep the ideas and the donations coming in 2023!

The West London NHS Charity has had a busy year of activity. The charity approved a number of bids for projects and initiatives to enhance staff well-being and the service user experience.

Here is a round-up of this year’s activity

Powering Recovery project

This project works with our patients in Ealing, particularly those who are vulnerable, to help bridge their digital inequality needs. The team offer training on how to use digital devices such as smartphones and tablets.

Mental Wealth Festival at City Lit

This year’s Mental Wealth Festival attendance was made possible for service users by sponsorship from the West London NHS Charity. The Trust charity funded the visit as it was evidenced that attendance has previously helped service users to build their confidence levels, reduce social isolation, stimulate their interest in interaction and help in removing “stigma” associated with mental health issues. 

Charity rebrand and relaunch at the NHS Big Tea

Earlier in the year, the Charity re-branded with a fresh new look marking a new chapter in its plans for fundraising for service users and staff at the Trust. Virendra Sharma MP for Ealing, Southall attended to mark the occasion. 

Sadly, the Clayponds Hospital team lost one of their own colleagues - Emily Martin, a Healthcare Assistant passed away following a long term illness. A bench was unveiled in memory of Emily, paid for by charitable funds received from the West London NHS charity.  

Brush parties 

Brush parties opened up to our staff in September this year to help promote staff well-being. They have grown in popularity with more staff enrolling and feedback being so positive.

Well-being zones  

Well-being zones have offered our staff a chance to reset during a busy day on the wards.  

Nursing conference

This year’s nursing conference was supported by Mamouda Choudhry, Nyarai Chuma, Meena Chapaneri and Julie Evans who helped to source prizes for a charity raffle. The prizes were donated by the charity and Starbucks and the team raised £500 for the charity.

West London NHS and Lampton Leisure Community Sports group

The aim of the group was to support service users by giving them access to community leisure activities to promote social inclusion, mental health well-being and recovery. The charity funded a pilot for ten weeks garnering good service user engagement.  

Join us- get involved

As we look ahead to 2023, we are encouraging all staff to get involved whether you want to fundraise or you are interested in learning more on how the charity can support you and your service.

• Email us at WL.charity@westlondon.nhs.uk

Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far and we’re looking forward to the next year.