Health / One hundred years and counting for NHS endowment fund
THE NHS Shetland health board endowment fund, which takes in donations from the community, is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
Since the fund was registered as a charity on 31 October 1922, a significant amount of money has been donated by the local community.
During 2020/2021, for example, the community rallied around to donate thousands in response to the Covid-19 emergency.
Money donated to the endowment fund supports NHS staff, patients and volunteers in areas that are not covered under the core government funding that the board receives to deliver services.
An example includes dedicated in-memoriam funding for staff training, including the Cecil Cumming Staff Development Award and the John Sinclair Memorial Award.
Further funds were also donated via a share of Captain Tom’s fundraising appeal when he walked more than 100 laps of his garden to mark his 100th birthday in 2021.
Some of Captain Tom’s donation money was used to buy coffee machines for communal staff areas and gifts such as hand cream and food hampers to support staff wellbeing.
Lincoln Carroll, chair of the endowment fund committee, said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank our community and all the other donors for their fundraising efforts during the last 100 years.
“So many remarkable community fundraising efforts have been achieved and the money has already had an enormous effect on so many different people.
“I’m sure you’ll agree that one of the most ambitious fundraising efforts the committee has had the pleasure of being involved in is the MRI scanner appeal.
“I hope in the not-so-distant future we will have this vital equipment at the Gilbert Bain Hospital.
“We know money is tight for everyone at the moment so we continue to be so thankful for all the generous donations made to the fund as they continue to benefit our staff, patients, and the wider community.”
The endowment fund received the £1 million donation from the Community Action for Trauma Support (CATS) group chaired by former councillor Peter Malcolmson that funded the original CT scanner at the Gilbert Bain back in 2009.
It has also been involved in fundraising for a £1.65 million MRI scanner for Shetland.
Meanwhile the tendering process to secure the MRI scanner should be concluded by the end of November with the plan for the MRI scanner to be installed and operational in 2023.
Around 600 people travel each year to Aberdeen or Glasgow for MRI scans. The MRI scanner’s arrival on island will reduce these journeys.
MRI scanners diagnose several conditions such as cancer and heart complications.
The endowment fund is a member of NHS Charities Together, which acts as an umbrella body for over 200 health board charities across the UK.
At NHS Shetland, the fund is managed by a board of trustees. Currently, the membership is the same as that of the health board itself.
For more information or to donate, visit: https://www.shb.scot.nhs.uk/board/endowments.asp
Become a supporter of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.
Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.
Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has over 600 supporters who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.
Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -
- Bring you the headlines as they happen;
- Stay editorially independent;
- Give a voice to the community;
- Grow site traffic further;
- Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.
Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.
Already a supporter? Sign in to hide this message.
