Our response to Covid-19

Our response to Covid-19 ROYAL FREE CHARITY COVID-19 EMERGENCY APPEAL IMPACT

Covid-19 is the biggest crisis the NHS has faced in a generation. From early in 2020, the staff at our three hospitals – Barnet, Chase Farm and the Royal Free – were facing the formidable challenge of caring for Covid patients, looking after very ill non-Covid patients and dealing with a huge number of patients needing acute care. With resources stretched to the limit and in the most difficult of circumstances, our 10,000-strong workforce of clinical and support staff showed incredible dedication, professionalism and compassion in their collective fight against this deadly virus.

Never has the charity been prouder or more determined to walk side by side with our hospital colleagues, easing the path where we could, thanks to the generosity of our donors. We launched our Covid-19 emergency appeal after consulting closely with the RFL to determine what staff needed to make life more bearable. This included the provision of care packages at the end of a very long shift, psychological support, physical respite spaces for them to rest, refuel and connect with their families, as well as much-needed recreational outings and treats for staff and their families facing financial hardship. The response from our supporters has been astounding. By the time the appeal closed several months after the end of the financial year, we had raised over £2m and recruited more than 2,000 new supporters. Thanks to this incredible generosity, we are continuing to address the changing needs of staff who are coping with their own mental health challenges. These include trauma, anxiety and insomnia caused by seeing colleagues becoming unwell with the virus and losing patients to the illness. We are more determined than ever to continue supporting them.

650,000+ ITEMS

DONATED TO FREE@THEFREE, OUR FREE SUPERMARKET FOR STAFF

30,400 MEALS DISTRIBUTED ACROSS ALL 12 SITES

55,000 FOOTFALL AT FREE@THEFREE OVER THE EIGHT WEEKS

11 SATELLITE SITES SUPPLIED WITH SNACKS, MEALS AND ESSENTIAL ITEMS DAILY/WEEKLY

21,000 EASTER EGGS DONATED

36 CRATES DONATED TO THE CAMDEN FOOD BANK IN THE FINAL THREE WEEKS TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

40 VOLUNTEERS SUPPORTED THE REC CLUB TEAM