The charity of a leading financial firm has donated £35,000 to boost the children’s area in a new super hospital being built in the West Midlands.
The Wesleyan Foundation in Birmingham has gifted the money to Your Trust Charity, the registered charity of Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust.
It will fund a play unit and interactive artwork in the children’s ward at the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, which is being built by the Trust and due to open in 2024.
Dr Nick Makwana, Consultant Paediatrician at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, said: “This fantastic generosity from the Wesleyan Foundation will help us provide an even greater level of care for our children and young people. This money will be used to create a home-corner play unit and an interactive artwork display within our children’s ward.
“We want to do as much as we can to encourage our young patients, and any siblings they may have, to seek, find, and learn through play. These funded activities are also particularly beneficial for young patients with physical and sensory disabilities, where they can play and forget about their treatment.”
Nathan Wallis, Chief of Staff at Wesleyan said: “We are very pleased to be supporting Your Trust Charity in creating a welcoming and healing environment for young patients at their new hospital. This will help the lives of so many children and young people in Sandwell and West Birmingham. Not only will they receive world-class care, but their experience in the hospital will be greatly enhanced.”
The money goes to the “We Are Metropolitan” fundraising campaign which seeks to raise £2 million towards added-value activities for the new hospital. These include projects such as new community spaces and enhancing research and development.
Mr Wallis added: “As a financial service mutual for teachers and doctors it is very important for us to support the things that matter most to our customers and supporting the We Are Metropolitan campaign is a fantastic example.”
Currently being built in Smethwick, Midland Met will house world-class facilities, whilst serving over 500,000 people in Sandwell and West Birmingham.
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust also runs Sandwell, City and Rowley Regis Hospitals, as well as Leasowes Intermediate Care Centre and a number of GP services.
Johnny Shah, Head of Your Trust Charity, added: “As ever we are grateful to all who fundraise for the charity. We remain on track to achieve our target for our We Are Metropolitan fundraising campaign. However, we still need local businesses and our community to help us get to £2 million by the time our hospital opens. To make the Midland Met more than a hospital, we must continue raising these much-needed funds.”