Fund which supports patients who are receiving end of life care reaches £100,000

10 December 2024

A fund set up to support patients who are receiving end of life care and their loved ones has reached £100,000.

The Swan Fund was set up in 2015 by Jules Lewis who is Swan End of Life Care Lead Nurse at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).

It was started with a £500 donation collected at the funeral of Jules’ father, Harold, who died at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH).

Recent donations and fundraising efforts have helped the SaTH Charity Swan Fund reach an impressive milestone of £100,000 in donations in the nine years it has been active.

It has been used to fund Swan Rooms at both RSH and Princess Royal Hospital in Telford which provide privacy and dignity for patients who are at end of life, and their families. It has also funded chairs, mood lights as well as skylights.

Jules said: “We are so grateful to all our supporters and fundraisers. Our goal was to reach £100,000 by the 10th year of the fund being set up and we have reached it early thanks to generous donations, and some amazing fundraisers who have done things like abseil down the wall of the hospital.

“Thanks to the donations, we have created 23 Swan Rooms across the Trust. These rooms include Swan chairs, mood lights, CD players and pictures and some of the rooms have skylights. We have also opened four Swan/Supportive Care Suites.

“We have been able to provide many Swan model of care folders, and bereavement bags that are given to loved ones which include a bereavement booklet, Good Grief Trust information cards and tissues.

“None of these projects could go ahead without the generous donations from our supporters. We will continue to support those who are at the end of life, and ensure they and their loved ones receive kind, compassionate and dignified care.”

Julia Clarke, Director of Public Participation, said “We are delighted to see the Swan Fund reach its fundraising goal of £100,000 in under 10 years. The team has worked so hard to implement lots of improvements for patients and their loved ones to support them with dignity and respect as they receive end of life care.”

Caption: Jules Lewis, Emma Gibbons, Ward Manager Sharon Angelides, Matron Claire Saphier and Donna Hadley, Divisional Director of Nursing, at the opening of the Swan Suite on wards 15 and 16 at Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.