The Friends of St Cross have received a record breaking donation from Coventry Building Society, thanks to the support and generosity of its members.
This is the fifteenth donation that the Society has made to the charity and is based on 1% of the average savings balances held in the society’s Supporters Accounts (St Cross) over a 12 month period. The cheque this year was for a massive £33,286, taking the grand total donated to date, to an amazing £332,660!
Willy Goldschmidt, Chairman of the Friends of St Cross, said “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on our regular fundraising income and so this annual donation made possible by the community’s investment in the Coventry Building Society’s Supporters Account is all the more important. It will enable the Charity to continue to make a real difference to the experience of patients in Rugby. The donation this year is almost 50% greater than the amount we received last year!.
This year has been one of several records and achievements in spite of the pandemic. Not only have we supported the opening of the Maple Unit, which is providing intravenous chemotherapy in Rugby for the first time, but we have supported significant requests for equipment which enhance the Glaucoma Service and hand and ankle surgery. The total we have committed to spend this year is approaching a record £300,000! This has helped us pass a milestone of donating equipment and supporting projects with a total value of £4m. What is more our volunteers are now delivering more hours of service than we did before the pandemic struck! None of this would have been possible without the support generated by the connection between the Hospital, the Community and the Friends which is exemplified by the Coventry Building Society’s members investment in the Supporters Account.”
Richard Field, Head of Communications for the Coventry Building Society, said: “It was great to visit the Hospital of St Cross and see at first hand the excellent work that is done by the Friends volunteers and the difference that our and other donations have made to the services available at the hospital. The Friends should be justifiably proud about all that they achieve year in and year out and in particular in their response to the pandemic.”
Photo by Eddie White: Representatives of the Coventry Building Society presented the donation to Trustees of the Friends in front of staff from the Hospital outside the newly opened Maple Unit.