Chesterfield shoppers help raise £46,000 to support hospital workers during virus crisis

Marks and Spencer stores across the county have been raising funds for NHS Charities Together over the last few months.

All money raised for NHS Charities Together goes towards helping local communities, and the Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Trust’s own charity, Chesterfield Royal Charity, is one of a number of recipients of a recent donation.

The vital funds have supported the development of initiatives like ‘Wobble Rooms’ throughout the hospital that are available to all members of staff.

The ‘Wobble Rooms’ provide areas for staff, and also patients and their families, to take time away from the clinical areas.

Colleagues have also been supported by Ashgate Hospicecare, which provided bereavement nurses to support staff working on the front-line during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The support from bereavement nurses has benefitted many colleagues from across the trust, and funds from NHS Charities Together will now be used to continue to provide this resource for staff longer term.

Ken Godber, charity director at the Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We set up our own campaign specifically to enhance the health and wellbeing of our colleagues and to create further resources for our patients at a time when they were unable to receive visitors.

"This included providing basic essentials that would normally be provided by relatives and visitors to support through the pandemic.

"The support we’ve received from local fundraisers has been overwhelming and I’d like to thank everyone who has donated.

"It has made a phenomenal difference and provided a massive boost to our staff when they needed it the most.”

Simon Street, store manager at M&S Chesterfield, said: “Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust plays an essential role supporting the local community, and we can’t thank them enough for their incredible efforts over the past few months.

"We’re thrilled to share the donations raised so far at our store and look forward to raising more funds this month with our customers’ support.”