Let's make it a little bit #BrighterNHS !

No doubt you are inundated with similar projects but I wanted to share what has been and, continues to be, a wonderful story of community unity and compassion with the initiative, BrighterNHS. The aim - to provide a gift of thanks to our NHS Heroes whilst we are in lock down and they are working tirelessly to keep us safe. It wasn’t necessarily about fulfilling a ‘need’ as much as trying to spark some joy!  

To provide a little bit of context, last year both my mother and I had the most incredible treatment and care at St Thomas’ Hospital and so when the COVID-19 pandemic transpired, I wanted to see what could be done to help those who had helped my family so much. I spoke with Professor Andrew Shennan and asked him how we could help treat the NHS. He told me that he hadn’t had time to eat all day and so any food delivered direct to the wards would be a real treat. (This was before the campaigns to Feed The NHS had really taken off). Similar conversations with the Head of Nursing for ICU and the Co-ordinators of the Trust ensued with unanimous feedback, a wish list: food, snacks, drinks, hand creams and wellness bags containing personal items. 

On Good Friday April 8th, Noura Restaurant delivered the first lunch for BrighterNHS to St Thomas, shortly after I decided to launch this Just Giving page with the ambition of being able to maintain this daily treat to our key workers.

Whilst the initial idea was to focus on Thomas’, donors started getting in touch asking if their friends and family working on the front line across various hospitals could also get a treat. So many touching stories have made us want to expand - Karishma's (one of our first dedicated team members) brother was self funding his hotel stay to prevent his asthmatic mother being exposed; a colleagues fiancé working at a test centre; a friend's cousin, a doctor in oncology emotionally drained from having to watch patients die without their families. As of mid May we have sent over 1,000s of hot meals, 500 fresh juices, 1000s of snacks, boxes of toiletries and 500 personalised wellness bags to 12 hospitals (St Thomas’, Lewisham, Lister Clinic, St George’s, St Barts, Chelsea and Westminster, Royal London, Royal Brompton, Hammersmith, Royal Surrey, Frimley and UCH).

Every day we continue to expand thanks to the overwhelming generosity we are experiencing from the likes of Neom, Cowshed, Karma Bites, Deliciously Ella and Day Lewis Pharmacy to name but a few. In addition, communities across London and further afield have reached out to donate Street Bakes and School Bakes; the children’s drawings and cards now line the walls at St Thomas’ wellness room. Friends and families have jumped on board to help at every opportunity and from the start we've endeavoured to send daily updates of where every penny is going via Instagram; here you can also read about everyone who has contributed so much of their time, as well as pictures and messages from our very happy NHS Heroes! I would like to thank everyone who has been onboard helping to grow this initiative - including Anoushka who is one of our most dedicated team members and who opened her home to warehouse all the products for our wellness bags, Ladan and Alie who have secured so many donations. Karishma Chandhyoke who has been working on this from the start, Kristina who has come on board recently and made such an impact....and so many more !

Please follow us on Instagram and Twitter @BrighterNHS

Thank you so much for your ongoing support.

Anne-Marie