The Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s Wheely Big Appeal for donations towards the purchase of 30 new indoor wheelchairs is receiving fantastic support from the public, with enough money already raised to buy 11 of the specialist chairs.
The appeal, launched on 6 November and supported by local radio station KL.FM 96.7, has already received £9,330 in donations towards its target of £24,000 thanks to the generosity of the local community.
One such donation was made by former patient, John Bocking. John, who donated £800, the cost of 1 wheelchair, said: “As I have been hospitalised half a dozen times over the last three or four years I came to appreciate the value of the wheelchairs, being propelled around the various departments. When I saw the Wheely Big Appeal it provided an opportunity to give back something for all the help and care that I had received in the QE Hospital. A worthy cause, I personally have been very glad of the use of a hospital wheelchair in the past.”
With funds for 19 more of the specialist wheelchairs still required the hospital would like to encourage further take up of the sponsorship scheme by which individual persons, local companies, organisations and groups are able to sponsor wheelchairs and have their name, company details (if applicable) and logo displayed on the chair. This sponsorship opportunity can be for a whole chair – £800, half of a chair – £400 or simply for one of the chair’s four wheels. Every donation counts!
One local organisation which has chosen to offer support for this scheme are The Trinity Rotary Club King’s Lynn, sponsoring a whole chair for £800. Robert Parker, the club’s Chair of Community Services said: “The Trinity Rotary Club of King’s Lynn is delighted that it can help with the appeal for new wheelchairs to be used for the benefit of patients and staff and help the efficient running of the hospital. The Queen Elizabeth is our local hospital and it deserves our support especially when demand is increasing but resources are tight so we hope our contribution will help a little.”
The indoor wheelchairs, needed to replace older ones in the QEH fleet and to address the growing demand for them, support patients visiting the hospital with various conditions such as lower limb breaks, respiratory problems and chest pains.
The chairs also provide freedom and independence for inpatients who are able to use them to get away from the ward environment, whether for a treat from The Hub Restaurant, to purchase newspapers from the hospital shops, to visit the foyer stalls or just generally to get a change of scenery.
No donation is too small and so if the hospital has helped you maybe you can consider helping it by gathering sponsorship for an activity or holding raffles, bingo nights and other similar events and then donating the proceeds to the appeal fund.
You can send a cheque payable to ‘Wheely Big Appeal’ to Ms Laurence Morlaàs, Fundraising Executive, at the address below or donate online at www.justgiving.com/qehkl-wheelybigappeal.
Laurence said: “To have received this level of support just 5 weeks into our Wheely Big Appeal is outstanding. On behalf of the Trust I would like to share a big thank you to all of those who have made donations already. Of course there is still some way to go but I am confident the local community support will carry on supporting us and the needs of our patients whenever they can”.
If you would like to help and get involved, or for more information please contact hospital Fundraising Executive, Ms Laurence Morlaàs, QEH, Gayton Road, King’s Lynn, PE30 4ET or 01553 613373 or email laurence.morlaas@qehkl.nhs.uk.
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Pictured: A stock photo of the wheelchairs in action around the QEH.
QEH Media Hub 