See how you have made a difference with the truly life-changing projects that County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust Charity has helped to fund.
Our impact statement is an opportunity to share with you why our charity exists. Find out more about what we are doing to make a difference to our patients and their families in our local hospitals and communities.
Together we care
This year, our staff, patients, and local communities worked hard together. As a result, we've made significant improvements in patient care and experience across our NHS Trust.
Thanks to the incredible work of our incredible supporters, we were able to contribute over a half a million pounds to projects in our hospitals and our community.
Some of the ways we’ve seen this difference over the past 12 months include:
The funding was used to purchase sensory mats for Intensive Therapy patients. These sensory items form a part of the new initiative of our Rehab after Critical Illness. They help long term Intensive Therapy Unit patients enhance their motor skills.
The mats have allowed us to commence and progress manual dexterity and cognitive processing of our long-term Intensive Therapy Unit patients. Due to prolonged treatments our patients can have quite serious acquired weakness and delirium.
These mats really help patients to practice fine motor skills while improving their cognition and sequencing, particularly after a stroke. They also help relieve boredom and can distract patients who become agitated.
Feedback from one of our Physiotherapists:
“Thank You for the sensory mats they are great.
“In the case of one patient, once clinically more stable and, whilst still on ventilator support, they were keen to commence their rehab journey.
“They had specifically asked for something to help their hands and give them more activities to do independently (nursing staff also brought in some games for when they had visitors or staff were on their break and could "play") and thanks to your kind donation, we had the perfect item to support the patient.”
A series of webinars was developed to help enhance training in the community. Specifically, on how to identify and treat under nutrition in care homes.
This funding was used to create a 2.5-hour webinar, used to enhance care home staff skills. Three videos on anthropometrics measurements for staff and patients, were also transcribed to incorporate subtitles. This is a government requirement to fulfil accessibility recommendations for any training developed for patients, and staff.
This training, has the potential to deliver into 125 care homes, reaching over 1,000 staff a year. It makes it possible for staff in care homes to complete this much needed personal development training at times that work for them.
Since implementation, it has been shown to significantly reduce under nutrition, weight loss and pressure ulcers for residents in local care homes.
We welcomed the long-awaited installation of murals and artworks on Ward 7 at Bishop Auckland General Hospital’s Complex Frailty Unit.
The purpose of the murals is to provide a familiar and pleasant environment for patients, who are taking part in therapeutic activities.
One mural softens a bay with a mirrored window, offering a soothing cherry blossom scene instead of a confusing reflection. This is especially beneficial for patients with cognitive impairment.
The murals serve as important therapeutic tools and immensely benefit patients. They also make the ward feel less stark for the staff. We are thrilled and proud to have such flawless artwork on our ward.
Apart from making a donation of money to our NHS Charity, you can also donate what is called ‘gifts in kind’. These gifts have a financial value and of course, save us using vital cash in the charity itself. The gifts that we can receive and are most grateful to receive are diverse and this list is not exhaustive, so if you have an idea and are unsure whether we could use it, please call us to discuss on 01325 743781.
We have received for example a remote-controlled Lamborghini gifted to Treetops at University Hospital of North Durham. Thanks to Mr and Mrs Carling, children can now be transported down to operations in this super cool motor!
We have received the gift of specialist equipment such and the physio chair/bed for Intensive Care in Darlington Memorial Hospital worth £13,000 from the Teesside Family Foundation for example, we have received expertise that would have cost the charity dearly with architectural designs delivered pro bono by Nicholson Nairn worth £10,000.
We have received thousands of individual gift bags containing art sets and puzzles for patients from A Space Between, which help while away the long hours of being bed bound in our hospitals or at home.
We have received gifts of 2 Directors seats for Newcastle United Football Club which we were able to auction to raise value funds for our Chemotherapy Unit. We receive wonderful support from hotels and spas who graciously donate prizes for charity balls, auctions or for Staff Awards Prizes for which we are very grateful.
We welcome having a chat with you about pro bono skills or services, through to wonderful experiences like the football or spa can make a huge difference to us – so please use your networks to help support us where you can.
Two thousand love hearts were knitted by friends of County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust Charity to celebrate the NHS’s 75th birthday and displayed in Durham as part of the anniversary celebrations but we rely on our knitters through the year, every year.
From knitted baby hats (all sizes not just neo natal), cardigans, knitted blankets, traditional ‘layette sets’ for families in need. We love to receive twiddle muffs for the elderly, even shawls for the geriatrics as they sit in their beds to keep their shoulders warm. We use knitted hearts still as part of the memory box scheme for families who can’t be together a heart of the patient and the family member – give it a squeeze and all will be well. We love knitted toys for individual gifts at Christmas for example, from teddies to pandas – they will all be loved!
If you have a good knitting pattern for any of the above, why don’t you share it with us and we in turn will share it with others.
Celebrating 20 years in his community taxi, the incredible Paul Hutchinson, supported by local whirlwinds Angela and Betty, raised £3,793 for diabetes care in Weardale Community Hospital by hosting a series of fundraising events over the year, including quiz nights, social get-togethers and band nights.
Prince Bishops Hospitals Radio provides vital services to both patients and staff, recent changes in licensing provided a wonderful opportunity to transition into new technology using DAB radio. We were delighted to help co-fund this project, which means this fabulous service can be expanded beyond the wards and departments of the local hospital out into our wider communities, so linking patients and their families.
You can find us on your DAB radio under the name ‘PBHR’. We’re on the ‘South Durham’ multiplex (again search your DAB station list for PBHR or use 204.640 Mhz) which covers Darlington, Bishop Auckland and Newton Aycliffe. Tune in!
Ten-year-old Emily Bell raised over £1,300 for our cancer care services and donated her luscious locks to The Princess Trust, a charity that makes children’s wigs. Well done and thank you Emily!
Eleven footballers in Team Ward 21, took part in the Darlington Sunday football league. Playing in FOUR cup finals they raised an incredible £1,500 for our local children’s ward.
Thank you!
Together, we're making a real impact. Thank you to our incredible staff, patients, and communities for your dedication, support, and compassion.
With your help, we can make the next 12 months even bigger and better!
