A Fife cancer caring centre has been given £10,000 as a thank you for the support it is offering frontline NHS staff.
The donation from the Fife Health Board Endowment Fund came after Maggie’s Fife offered its building at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy for use as an NHS staff wellbeing hub.
Hard-pressed health staff involved in the battle against covid-19 can go there during the day for some quiet time or psychological support.
The donation was made possible thanks to a generous £500,000 gift to the endowment fund from an anonymous benefactor.
NHS Fife chairwoman Tricia Marwick, who also chairs the endowment fund’s board of trustees, said the benefactor had asked that the funds be used immediately to provide additional support for patients and the healthcare staff working tirelessly to care for them.
“From the outset of this pandemic we have sought to support patients and staff in any way that we can,” she said.
“This donation has enabled us to expand this support much further at a time when it is needed most.
“The staff support hub at Victoria Hospital was the first to open and by being able to use the wonderful space at the Kirkcaldy Maggie’s Centre we have been able to provide staff with a calm and welcoming space to take time out from work.
“The £10,000 donation to Maggie’s is in recognition of the support given to NHS Fife staff and we are delighted to support Maggie’s like they have supported NHS Fife.”
She added: “Staff are encouraged to use the hub as a quiet space with no need for interaction, however a variety of easily accessible resources are also available for use with colleagues on hand to provide psychological support.
“Thanks to the donation and Maggie’s we have been able to open the staff hub seven days a week from 9am to 5pm, including public holidays, and provide refreshments to staff.”
Head of the Maggie’s Centre in Kirkcaldy, Alison Allan, said the charity was delighted with the donation.
“The building has been well used by a wide variety of people within the NHS and we are so pleased to have played a small part in supporting them at this time,” she said.
