NHS foodbank shortlisted for Black Country award
Date of release: 2 October 2023
A foodbank set up to help NHS staff in Wolverhampton who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis has been shortlisted in this year’s Black Country Chamber Business Awards.
The initiative, developed in partnership between The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust’s Charity and its Facilities Team, is one of the finalists in the Employer of the Year category.
The foodbank forms part of the Staff Wellbeing Hub that has been created at New Cross Hospital as part of a package to support healthcare staff who are in need.
Initially funded by a grant from the Charity, the Trust’s Facilities Team turned a disused café into a fully functioning wellbeing hub facility within two weeks, providing a specialist fridge shelving and a counter, with appropriate kitchen equipment.
The Charity has taken on the day to day running of the hub, which offers food and other essential items.
Amanda Winwood, Charity Development Manager, said: “We are so proud to have been shortlisted for this award for our efforts in establishing a meaningful support service for staff at a time of unprecedented difficulty for them.
“Our Group Chief Executive and Board continually remind us that our staff are the organisation’s greatest asset, and we need to look after them to ensure they can look after others effectively which was the backdrop to setting up the hub. Our colleagues in Facilities have been fantastic – moving quickly to get things up and running, motivated by a desire to help those in need.”
To date, 4,910 staff have received a free breakfast at the hub and 3,642 have used the food bank since it opened in December 2022.
Brendan Houston, Head of Facilities, added: “The Charity and Facilities made a great team when it came to getting this much-needed support established at New Cross Hospital.
“We believe that such provision means we are showing the Trust to be a compassionate and considerate employer towards its workforce and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that the judges feel the same!”
The foodbank is open to all staff, including those working in the community and Cannock Chase Hospital and West Park Hospital.
Judges will now consider all shortlisted finalists’ entries and the winners will be announced at a ceremony at Wolverhampton Racecourse on Thursday 9 November.
