Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, known as BCHC, is the leading NHS provider of community and specialist services across Birmingham and the West Midlands. The over 5,000 strong team deliver more than 100 core community health, specialist rehabilitation, and dental NHS services for people of all ages, from birth through childhood and adult life to older years.

The Learning Disability (LD) service works across Birmingham, in which 23,800 (2.3 per cent of the 1.1 million population) have a learning disability. The service aims to provide high quality care through multidisciplinary working and close collaboration with other agencies. This includes services such as Speech and Language Therapy, the Community Outreach Team, the Intensive Support Unit, Psychiatry Services, short breaks and day services, and much more!

BCHC Charity's mission is to enhance patient experience and improve their time within the care of BCHC services by funding the extras that are not covered by the core NHS funds. We have launched this appeal in order to raise funds to support the Learning Disabilities services with the sorts of things that bring a smile to our patients and their families and carers. These can range from smaller items like books and toys, all the way up to large projects like our Happy & Healthy photography gallery (link to news article). Here’s how your support could make a difference for our LD services:

• £20 could provide a bereavement memory box for a family whose loved one passes away

• £50 could support with providing party supplies for the LD Service User Group at Christmas

• £100 could fund a selection of sensory and fidget toys for a waiting room

• £1,000 could provide equipment and lighting for sensory rooms in clinical bases

By donating to or fundraising for the LD appeal, you will be helping BCHC Charity to make a real difference for patients, service users, and their families and carers accessing learning disabilities services.

Please note that individual fundraisers may choose a specific LD department to raise funds for; where not specified on their page, any funds raised will be banked into the BCHC Charity LD General fund, which any BCHC LD service can apply to access. Where funds are being raised for specific items or projects, any money raised above the required amount will also be banked into the LD General fund to support other LD projects and services.