Donating to local health and care services ‘now even easier’

Anyone wishing to make a donation to support local health services can now do so from their mobile phone.

Donations to the Isle of Wight NHS Trust can be made by simply texting IOWH05 followed by the amount you would like to donate £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10 to 70070. A reply will be sent linking the donor to a gift aid form which, if you are a taxpayer, enables the charity to receive 25p extra for every £1 you donate. The Isle of Wight NHS Trust Charitable Fund receives 100% of the money donated.

The Trust’s Charitable Funds registered charity (1049606) works in partnership with the Friends of St. Mary’s to enhance the work of the NHS by providing the ‘extras’ which are not automatically funded by the NHS for the benefit of patients, visitors and staff.

Recent donations to the charity have helped to fund a specialist trolley for critical care transfers, a birthing couch and training aids for maternity staff, refurbishment of the outdoor gym, complimentary services for breast care patients, additional pressure relieving mattresses for Ambulance and specialist Oximetry pumps and toys and games for the Children’s ward. It has also enabled enhancements to the gardens for Mental Health, Chemotherapy, Stroke and Rehabilitation and helped to make Christmas brighter for patients in hospital.

Caroline Spicer, Non-Executive Director and Chair of the IOW NHS Trust Charitable Funds Committee which monitors arrangements for the control and management of the charitable funds, said: “These are just some examples of how donations have been used and we are incredibly grateful, however large or small the donation, every penny makes a difference and benefits our patients and staff working across the Island. Text donate is an instant and convenient way to make a donation and a lovely way to say ‘thank you’ to the local NHS and its staff.”

In addition to the text donation service, donations can also be made online to the Isle of Wight NHS Trust Charitable Funds through ‘Just Giving’ or paid in person to the Cashiers Office, Main Entrance, St. Mary’s Hospital.