An appeal has been launched at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB) for donations of clothes to help local people and patients in crisis this winter.

Three new clothing and food bank drop-off points have been installed at the hospital, after a successful health and wellbeing initiative brought a food bank collection point to QEHB last year.

Since then, the hospital’s generous visitors and staff have donated over 500kgs of food which has helped to ensure over 100 local people in crisis did not go hungry for three days.

The crises faced by people who have relied on these donations of food and clothes range from victims of domestic abuse; forced to leave their homes without their possessions, or people who have been made redundant, homeless or have recently been bereaved and have no access to money.

Senior HR manager, Antony Cobley who is the health and wellbeing lead at QEHB and spearheaded the initiative, said: “QEHB is keen to support local community initiatives that support those who are at a disadvantage, whether it is by helping them to grow food across our Community Orchard and Gardens or here in directly supporting the local food bank.

“This initiative not only allows us to collect food and clothing for local people, it enables us to ‘draw down’. Clinical staff will be able to assess their patients upon discharge and if needed - offer support in the form of an emergency food parcel or vouchers for the local food bank.

“With the addition of clothing they will also be able to ‘draw down’ seasonal appropriate clothing to enhance the discharge of those patients that need additional help”.

The initiative has been generously supported with funds from QEHB Charity, who support a huge variety of projects and initiatives across the Trust that are above and beyond what the NHS can usually provide for patients and local communities.

With funds from QEHB Charity, the three new food and clothing drop-off points can be found at easily accessible locations across the Trust, for both staff and visitor donations; in the Atrium, at the Education Centre, and at the B1 staff entrance.

Justine Davy, Head of Fundraising at QEHB Charity said: “Charitable support comes in many different guises and this campaign is another way of supporting local people.  Patients and staff who donate to the food and clothing banks are in turn making a difference to other patients and people from the local community who need help and assistance.  We are very proud to be supporting this campaign at the hospital and know the difference it will make too many many people.”

Donations given to the food and clothing bank will be given to Sparkhill foodbank who run a number of satellites across the city and who is part of the Trussell Trust network of foodbanks.  Sparkhill foodbank helps people like ‘Janet’, as Liisa Wiseman, Destitution and Development manager at Sparkhill Foodbank explains.

 "‘Janet’ arrived at the food and clothing bank with nothing. After 20 years of suffering domestic abuse, she finally had been forced to leave her partner and fled to Birmingham with her three children to avoid her own community and the people she knew.

"She left with just 3 carrier bags of belongings for her family.

"After finding accommodation she had no money for food or clothes, or for furnishing her home or for any other household necessities.  Janet and her children were all sleeping on the floor with no beds or bedding. 

"Sparkhill foodbank was able to give Janet a food and clothing parcel to support her and her children, and helped by listening to her story and made appointments with the charity’s Resource Centre; and with the charity’s money advice worker, were able to apply to another charity to supply Janet with a bed to sleep on."

Liisa said: “Kind donations from staff and visitors to the QE have already helped us to help many individuals and families, and we hope this expanding and ongoing collaboration between QEHB, Sparkhill foodbank and QEHB Charity can continue to provide vital support to those in need across the City.”

If you would like to donate clothing or food at the hospital, the drop-off points can be found at the B1 Staff Entrance, on the mezzanine near the Education Centre Reception on Level 1, and near the passenger lifts, just past WHSmith on the ground floor in the Atrium at QEHB.

For more information on what clothes and food is needed to support patients and local people in need, visit the Food bank page (see below).

To find out the variety of ways in which QEHB Charity supports patients, or if you would like to get involved or donate, visit the QEHB Charity website (see below).