Since March, Hull Hospitals and the WISHH Charity have received incredible support from many members of our community. We would like to sincerely thank all of the amazing companies, individuals and fundraisers of all ages, who have inspired us with the lengths they have gone to, to support our staff and hospitals for the care they are providing patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we now enter the second wave of increased COVID activity and the additional demands and pressures this presents, there is still the opportunity for us to help our hospitals and staff to deal with the inevitable increase in demand.

To deal with the challenge, major changes have had to be made across our hospitals. Many of our staff members have to change and adapt their roles. Numerous staff have moved from their usual roles to provide care on COVID designated wards. As a consequence, staff are dealing with different challenges, new team working arrangements, different locations and equipment to meet the differing demands presented by COVID. All of this is putting additional pressure on staff both individually and collectively. As a charity we are passionate about supporting our hospital staff during this time and beyond.

There’s still a number of ways you can help the Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital and the staff who are working tirelessly on delivering care to our patients. During these exceptional times, we continue to enhance staff provisions and facilities across the Trust and provide additional items to all of the hospital staff and the patients who are in their care.

Thanks to the support we received on our first campaign and funding provided by NHS Charities Together, we are able to create an incredible long term facility to support the mental health and wellbeing of hospital staff at Castle Hill Hospital. This facility will enable staff to receive the emotional and wellbeing support as they continually deal with so many difficult situations, caring for the seriously ill and their families during the pandemic and beyond. This facility will provide a lasting legacy which will help support staff, to build their emotional resilience whilst delivering great care for patients at our hospitals. We hope to create a similar facility at Hull Royal Infirmary using any further donations that we receive, in addition to supporting staff and patients. Read more about the facility here.

Here’s a flashback to our initial campaign in March

“We are in unprecedented times and will rely increasingly heavily on the wonderful staff of the NHS to see us through. The Hull University Teaching Hospitals official Charity WISHH is working closely with the hospitals to identify ways we can help. They know best what support they need from us all and this is only the start. Supporting staff is key; many are finding it difficult to take a break for refreshment. WISHH kick-started this appeal giving funds to the hospitals towards supporting staff which includes providing drinks and snacks to wards and departments and this demand will be on-going. The COVID-19 fundraising campaign WISHH has launched will continue support staff and patient care. Decisions as to how money raised is allocated to what is needed will be led by the hospitals working together with WISHH. We need our Hospitals more than ever now.” – Sue Lockwood, WISHH Chairman and former High Sheriff of the East Riding of Yorkshire

If you want to find out more about our initial campaign and some of the ways the support of our community has made a difference to our hospitals, click here.

How you can help

To donate online, visit our JustGiving page.

Donations can be marked COVID-19 STAFF if you would like your donation to be used to support the provision of additional items for the benefit of staff whilst they are caring for patients during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Alternatively, donations marked COVID-19 CARE will be used to support patient care as directed by Hull Hospitals.

Cheques can be made payable to WISHH Charity posted to the WISHH Office, COVID-19 Appeal, First Floor Administration Block, Castle Hill Hospital, Castle Road, Cottingham, HU16 5JQ.

To find out more about how your support has made a difference to date, visit our website.

If you would like any more information, you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, email hyp-tr.hellowishh@nhs.net or call Lisa Whitton of the WISHH team on 07827 881766 to discuss further.

You can find the latest health advice on COVID-19 at nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Feel free to share our page and get the word out to as many people as possible so we can really support our patients and staff in these challenging times. Please tag us in any posts @WISHHCharity #WISHHappeal