Let’s do great things together: Bristol’s two NHS hospital charities announce merger

Bristol and Weston Hospitals Charity is embarking on an exciting new chapter as it joins forces with Southmead Hospital Charity, becoming the official charity supporting all hospitals across the region.

Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity and Southmead Hospital Charity have officially merged to form one united charity partner for the newly formed Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, supporting patients, families and NHS staff acrossBristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

The merger marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter, building on the recent union of University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) and North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT), bringing services for 13 hospitals across the region together under the newly formed Bristol NHS Foundation Trust (BFT).

By uniting two well-loved charities, decades of generosity, expertise and community support will come together to bring more joy, comfort and hope to patients and families when they need it most.

Katie Walker, Chief Executive of Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity, said the development had created a once-in-a-generation opportunity:

“This is a proud moment, bringing together the work of Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity and Southmead Hospital Charity to now support every hospital across our region.

“For many years, Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity and Southmead Hospital Charity have stood side by side with our NHS– it's the most common connector we all have as a population because when it comes to our health and the wellbeing of those we love, we all want the very best care when we need it most.

“Today, by joining forces we can go further – making every donation have even greater impact, supporting NHS staff to innovate and deliver outstanding care, while ensuring kindness and compassionate care remain at the heart of everything we do.

“As we move into an exciting period of change, manyimportant factorsremainthe same. Supporters can continue to give to the hospitals, services or causes closest to their hearts, and the day-to-day charitable support for our hospitals will remain unchanged,” Katie added.

Since 1974, Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity has raised more than £110 million to support patients, families and NHS staff across Bristol andWeston-super-Mare. From fundingcutting-edgeequipment tolife‑changingtreatments, the charity goes above and beyond to transform the experiences patients have in hospital- helping to fund healthcare for all, older care, healing environments and innovation for change in particular.

Southmead Hospital Charity recently celebrated 30 years of funding extraordinary care and innovation, from personalised prosthetics to its pioneering support and research for people living with Parkinson’s.

“This is a wonderful moment for Bristol and our hospitals, and an opportunity to thank our incredible supporters for everything they’ve made possible,” Katie said.

“We’reincredibly proud of the differencewe’vemade so far and excited by what we can achieve as one united charity.

“One NHS Trust, one NHS charity and one full-hearted community – we can’t wait to welcome the SouthmeadHospital Charityteam and do even more great things together.”

Together with supporters, volunteers, partners and NHS colleagues, the merged charity is looking ahead with confidence and ambition as it embarks on this next chapter as charity partner to one of the biggest NHS Trusts in the country.

To find out more, visit: www.bwhospitalscharity.org.uk