Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals Charity raises £116,000 as first schemes revealed

The charity appeal to support staff, patients and volunteers at Southport Hospital and Ormskirk Hospital through the Covid-19 pandemic has raised more than £116,000.

Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals Charity launched the appeal in April with a video from staff explaining what life was like at the height of the first wave of infection.

Six months later big-hearted fundraisers have given £116,493 to the appeal.

Dozens of individual donations included fundraising efforts like that of Seren Farrington, from Southport, who raised £1,525 selling pictures she had made to countries all over the world.

Running out of things to draw while on lockdown, she asked friends and relatives for inspiration which led to her selling “commissioned” work with brother Wade, six, to help raise money for the appeal.

Anne Ellis meanwhile said she was ‘overwhelmed’ to see Southport Rugby Football Club players and supporters run, cycle, swim and climb their way to completing over 80,000km during July – more than double the circumference of the planet – to raise money for the Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals Charity.

‘The Ellis Expedition’ was named after Anne’s husband, Club President Graham Ellis, who tragically died just the day before he was due to officially launch the challenge on July 1.

Read More: Hospitals thanks Southport Rugby Club for raising £35,000 through The Ellis Expedition

Graham was among the driving forces behind the spectacular transformation of the club both on and off the pitch over the past few years.

He was a passionate supporter of the NHS, whom he credited with twice saving his life in recent years. Father-of-three Graham, who was married to wife, Anne, for 30 years, and father of Hugh, Megan and Jack, had recently been told that he was not being put forward for the liver transplant he needed and was instead given just a few months left to live.

Anne Ellis and Col Toohey and supporters with cheque for over £35,371 raised via The Ellis Exhibition, at Southport Rugby Football Club. Photo by Angus Matheson of Wainwright & Matheson Photography

One of his many legacies will be the £35,371 which has now been raised in his memory through the Ellis Expedition and which will now go to the Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals Charity.

The total was boosted further by grants from NHS Charities Together, the national organisation for NHS charities, which has raised more than £130m so far this year. Chief among their fundraisers was 100-year-old Capt Sir Tom Moore who single-handedly raised £30m.

Read More: Southport shop thanks NHS workers with picture for hospital A&E

All funds raised for the appeal will go towards the purchase of key equipment and services. Anything raised over and above what we might need now will go towards helping our hospitals continue to give exceptional care in the future.

Funds committed so far include:

•         A wellbeing garden at Southport Hospital to enable and enhance recovery, rehabilitation, mental well-being, post-traumatic stress and depression, especially around Covid-19, for both patients and staff
•         iPads, portable DVDs and Nintendo Switches for the children’s department at Ormskirk Hospital
•         Subscription to Nightingale Frontline, a NHS England leadership support service, providing remote, small groups sessions for nurses and midwives to lead effectively and be inspired to lead beyond the Covid crisis
•         Extra-long outdoor benches for socially-distancing sitting out

 Neil Masom, chair of the Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals Charity trustees, said: “When we relaunched the hospitals charity less than a year ago, we could never have imagined how important it would become in the months ahead.

“I’m hugely grateful to everyone who has given to this important appeal and we’re working hard to make sure the funds raised are put to practical use as quickly as possible.

“Every single donation, no matter the size really does have a tangible and lasting impact on the lives of our patients, staff and volunteers.”

Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: mediaandrewbrown@gmail.com