Hospital welcomes new food and clothing collection bins
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity recently purchased new food and clothing collection bins to stand in various locations around the hospital. Staff and visitors to the hospital are being encouraged to use the collection bins to donate unwanted warm, good quality, clean clothes, new underwear and non-perishable food items.
The new food and clothing collection bins, which were installed on Tuesday 6 October, are for the benefit of patients who need a little extra support upon being discharged, and are funded by QEHB Charity. The first pair of collection bins is outside WH Smiths in the atrium, the second is on the first floor opposite the Faith Centre, and the third pair stands inside the staff-only entrance to the hospital. A team of volunteers empties them on a daily basis, and the collection bins are often overflowing with generous donations!
Antony Cobley, Senior HR Manager at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham who has overseen the scheme, said: “This has been a huge success so far, with 47kg of clothes and 45kg of food collected in the first week alone. We understand that some patients need support from the hospital even after they have been discharged, and we’re thrilled to be able to provide that.”
The food and clothing bank scheme is being delivered in collaboration between the QEHB Charity and Sparkhill Food Bank who are members of the Trussell Trust network, a charity which partners with others to provide food banks across the nation. The food collected is sorted into packages suitable for individuals, families, and people with vegetarian or halal requirements, and each package is designed to last three days. From January, clothes parcels will be offered as well, and vouchers that can be redeemed at Sparkhill Food Bank can also be supplied in lieu of a food package.
Nigel Brookhouse, CEO of Narthex Sparkhill, which runs Sparkhill Food Bank, added: “Our partnership with the QE in this exciting pilot scheme will help individuals and families in crisis and make a big difference to many across Birmingham. We are grateful to Antony Cobley of the QE for approaching us over a year ago to consider this partnership. This project has been well planned and thought through, and we look forward to perhaps being role models together to other hospitals and foodbanks who may want to consider similar approaches.”
Please donate by dropping off any unwanted warm, good quality, clean clothes or non-perishable food items such as tinned fruit, long-life UHT milk and juice, tinned sponge puddings and tinned meat.
