Hospice patients benefit from bank's donation

Patients at Willow Wood Hospice in Tameside and Dr Kershaw's Hospice in Oldham will be better connected with their families during the coronavirus pandemic, thanks to additional funding.

The Co-operative Bank has donated £10,000 to the Greater Manchester Hospice Group to help ensure loved ones can keep in touch with each other, particularly during the current national lockdown. 

The funds have been used to buy video enabled devices, in order for the hospices to facilitate video calling between inpatients and their loved ones as the pandemic continues to limit face to face visiting.

These devices can often be the lifeline for many families, who without a mobile phone or tablet were otherwise unable to stay connected to their loved ones at such a vital time.

This heartbreaking scenario has meant that inpatients, who are often receiving end of life care, are sometimes unable to see or spend quality time with their families at an extremely difficult moment in their lives.

The donation from The Co-operative Bank has enabled the Greater Manchester Hospice Group to purchase devices and cover the cost of any rates and data to ensure patients remain connected and supported throughout the end of life care they are receiving.

Maria Cearns, Managing Director of Customer and People at The Co-operative Bank said: “Our customers and colleagues consistently tell us that staying connected is extremely important to them, especially during the pandemic, which is why we are extremely proud to support the Greater Manchester Hospice Group and the families they care for.

"Covid-19 has had a devastating effect on many people, reducing or even stopping face to face contact, which is why we are pleased to provide funds to help ensure families across Greater Manchester are able to stay connected during what is already a very difficult time.”