Thousands of team members at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (BSMHFT) have local non-league football club Solihull Moors FC to thank for helping them travel more safely to and from work.
The Moors made a generous gift of 3,000 face coverings to staff who work in our inpatient units and the community. While the Trust provides all PPE used by staff in the course of their NHS duties including face masks, these face coverings will benefit staff outside of the workplace, for example when they are travelling to and from work on public transport. The Moors have also been helping indirectly by donating any profits from the sales of their branded face coverings going to NHS Charities Together. Caring Minds, BSMHFT’s charity, is part of the NHS Charities Together federation and has benefitted from donations made nationally which this week reached £130m.
In the week of the 72nd birthday of the NHS, the washable face wear is being shared with 3,000 colleagues as part of a special thank you ‘goody bag’ for staff who have been working on the frontline during the Covid-19 crisis.
Executive Director of Nursing at BSMHFT Sue Hartley said:
“I know that many people in our teams across Solihull and Birmingham are looking forward to receiving this kind gift from Solihull Moors FC. Our teams have worked tirelessly and given of themselves to the people we care for day in and day out. It is important that we do as much as we can to support our staff and help them to stay safe and well.
“This donation, like many we have received and shared with our teams in recent weeks, is a reminder of the warmth and gratitude our nurses, occupational therapists, doctors, physiotherapists and other colleagues have felt from people in the community. Thank you to everyone who has supported us.”
Anne-Marie Eden, Chief-Executive from Solihull Moors said:
“Solihull Moors FC are proud to be the local community football club in the heart of the region, but we are so much more than just football. Being able to donate 3,000 Solihull Moors FC branded and reusable face coverings to the staff at Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust is a privilege and an example of one of the many community-based projects we involve ourselves in.”
