Our purpose

Our purpose is to support the work of Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust and its people to deliver the Trust’s vision of excellent care at the heart of the community.

The charity operates in line with the Trust’s values of compassion, collaboration, ambition and excellence.

What we do

Sussex Community NHS Charity is the official NHS charity for Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust. We raise money to fund projects which support the Trust to deliver excellent care at the heart of the community.

• We prioritise funding to support the Trust’s ambitions, improving the health and care outcomes of communities across Sussex, working with our partner organisations where appropriate.
• We improve the physical environment for the benefit of our patients, staff and volunteers.
• We encourage a continuous improvement culture, supporting Trust staff to develop projects and funding research which improve patient care.
• We support wellbeing initiatives for staff at local and Trust-wide levels and fund the annual Staff Awards and other ways of recognising and thanking our staff.
• We support staff and volunteers to develop their skills and help the Trust to shape rewarding careers.

How we generate funds

We rely heavily on public support to raise funds to make grants to support worthy projects across our Trust. We raise funds through a number of ways including:

• Monetary donations
• Legacies
• Community fundraising
• Fundraising events and activities
• Corporate support
• Trading activities (e.g. volunteer run cafes)

We are also able to support our staff, volunteer and patients by receiving and distributing gifts in kind from individuals as well as local and national companies.

Donations to our General Fund are particularly useful to the charity, enabling us to direct funds to where they are needed most. All donations are greatly appreciated, and we will always endeavour to fulfil donor wishes to support a particular service or site if possible.

Read our annual reports and the impact we have had on the Charity Commission website.

Meet the team

Rosie Gratwick, Charity Manager

Rosie joined the Trust in 2019 as our Charity Manager. Rosie previously worked for four years in the Fundraising Team at a Sussex based HIV charity, specialising in challenge and mass participation events to raise charitable income to sustain an inpatient unit and outpatient services.

Rosie has a Degree of Law and a Masters Degree in Human Rights, completing her dissertation on the impact of human rights on the HIV pandemic, and the right to accessible healthcare. In her spare time, Rosie enjoys practicing yoga and writing for her women’s wellbeing blog.

Our Charity Office is always here to provide you with support, advice and fundraising resources throughout your fundraising journey.

Call us: 01273 266040

Email us: sc-tr.charity@nhs.net

Write to us: Sussex Community NHS Charity, Brighton General Hospital, Elm Grove, Brighton, BN2 3EW

Say hello on social media

Facebook: @scftcharity

Twitter: @scft_charity

Instagram: @scft_charity

Privacy notice

We respect your concerns about privacy and value the relationship we have with you. We promise to keep your personal data safe and never unnecessarily share your personal data with third parties. You can read our full privacy policy for more details. 

Sussex Community NHS Charity is a registered member of the Fundraising Regulator, The independent regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Fundraising Promise outlines the commitment made to donors and the public by fundraising organisations which register with the Fundraising Regulator. Those who register with the regulator agree to ensure their fundraising is legal, open, honest and respectful. The standards for fundraising are set out in the Code of Fundraising Practice.

We will commit to high standards

• We will adhere to the Fundraising Code of Practice.
• We will monitor fundraisers, volunteers and third parties working with us to raise funds, to ensure that they comply with the Code of Fundraising Practice and with this Promise.
• We will comply with the law as it applies to charities and fundraising.
• We will display the Fundraising Regulator badge on our fundraising material to show we are committed to good practice.

We will be clear, honest and open

• We will tell the truth and we will not exaggerate.
• We will do what we say we are going to do with donations we receive.
• We will be clear about who we are and what we do.
• We will give a clear explanation of how you can make a gift and change a regular donation.
• Where we ask a third party to fundraise on our behalf, we will make this relationship and the financial arrangement transparent.
• We will be able to explain our fundraising costs and show how they are in the best interests of our cause if challenged.
• We will ensure our complaints process is clear and easily accessible.
• We will provide clear and evidence based reasons for our decisions on complaints.

We will be respectful

• We will respect your rights and privacy.
• We will not put undue pressure on you to make a gift. If you do not want to give or wish to cease giving, we will respect your decision.
• We will have a procedure for dealing with people in vulnerable circumstances and it will be available on request.
• Where the law requires, we will get your consent before we contact you to fundraise.
• If you tell us that you don’t want us to contact you in a particular way we will not do so. We will work with the Telephone, Mail and Fundraising Preference Services to ensure that those who choose not to receive specific types of communication don’t have to.

We will be fair and reasonable

• We will treat donors and the public fairly, showing sensitivity and adapting our approach depending on your needs.
• We will take care not to use any images or words that intentionally cause distress or anxiety.
• We will take care not to cause nuisance or disruption to the public.
• We will be accountable and responsible
• We will manage our resources responsibly and consider the impact of our fundraising on our donors, supporters and the wider public.
• If you are unhappy with anything we’ve done whilst fundraising, you can contact us to make a complaint. We will listen to feedback and respond appropriately to compliments and criticism we receive.
• We will have a complaints procedure, a copy of which will be available on our website or available on request.
• Our complaints procedure will let you know how to contact the Fundraising Regulator in the event that you feel our response is unsatisfactory.
• We will monitor and record the number of complaints we receive each year and share this data with the Fundraising Regulator on request.

How to make a complaint

We are committed to maintaining a high standard of fundraising. If it happens that we do not meet our own high standards, or our donors’ expectations, we want to hear about it to correct any issues as quickly as possible, ensuring they never happen again.

There are a number of ways you can contact us and tell us your thoughts:

Call us: 01273 266040

Email us: sc-tr.charity@nhs.net

Write to us: Sussex Community NHS Charity, Brighton General Hospital, Elm Grove, Brighton, BN2 3EW

Please include your name, address and contact telephone number in your email or letter so that we can get back in touch with you quickly.

We commit to respond with the outcome of our investigations in writing within 28 days of receiving your complaint.

We will securely keep a record of your complaint and how it was investigated for 24 months, unless you request your information be destroyed. The details of your complaint may be shared with the Fundraising Regulator.

Who else can help?

If you are unhappy with the outcome of our investigation of your complaint relating to our fundraising practice, you can contact the Fundraising Regulator to investigate the complaint.

You must contact them within two months of receiving a response from us.

There are a number of ways you can contact the Fundraising Regulator:

• Email them at complaints@fundraisingregulator.org.uk
• Call them at 0300 999 3407
• Complete their online complaints form at www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/complaints/make-complaint
• Write to them: Fundraising Regulator 2nd floor, CAN Mezzanine Building, 49-51 East Road, London, N1 6AH

Alternatively if your complaint is related to another area of our work and you do not feel satisfied with our response, you can contact the Charity Commission

The Charity Commission P O Box 1227 Liverpool L69 3UG

Tel: 0845 3000 218 www.charity-commission.gov.uk

Your donations to our charity are hugely appreciated, and go a long way to support our staff, volunteers and patients.

You can make a donation through the following methods:

• JustGiving - You can make a one-off or regular donation from your bank account through our JustGiving page. JustGiving is a user-friendly online fundraising platform, through which you can make your donation to our charity quickly and securely. 
• Cheque - Cheques should be posted along with a copy of our printable Donation Form to our Charity Office. Cheques should be made payable to Sussex Community NHS Charity, and posted to Sussex Community NHS Charity, Brighton General Hospital, Elm Grove, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 3EW. 

• Bank transfer - Please call our Charity Office on 01273 266040 for instructions to pay in donations via bank transfer. We will also collect details from you to complete a Donation Form over the phone, so no need to post one too.

• Cash - The easiest way to donate cash is to pay it into your own bank account, and then use one of the methods above. However if you still wish to donate cash please get in contact with the Charity Office on 01273 266040 or sc-tr.charity@nhs.net. We can advise the best payment method or local cashiers office to pay in the fund, and collect details from you. 

• Leave a gift - To leave a gift in your will to our charity, all you need is our charity name (Sussex Community NHS Charity), registration number (1051763) and details of the service you would like to support if you have a specific preference. If they would like to discuss anything with the charity, please contact our Charity Office at sc-tr.charity@nhs.net or call 01273 266040. Important note: Please ensure the service you choose to name in your will is delivered by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust. 

If you have a preference for whether your donation is allocated to our general fund or a specific service, please mention this on your Donation Form, in your JustGiving donor message or get in touch to let us know. 

Gift Aid

Gift Aid allows charity’s like us to make your donation go even further by claiming an additional 25p on every £1 you donate which is eligible for Gift Aid.

Before we can claim the Gift Aid on your donations, you must complete a Gift Aid declaration to confirm you are eligible. You will be asked if you would like to complete a Gift Aid declaration when you donate through JustGiving or when you make a cheque/cash donation.

You can learn more about Gift Aid on the gov.uk website.

Gifts in kind

Gifts in kind provide our Trust with essential goods and services, and so save money. They can also help us to raise funds, when prizes are donated for raffles and other fundraising activities. If you would like to donate items or services, we would love to hear from you.

Before delivering a gift in kind to our wards, please contact our Charity Office. Whilst we are incredibly grateful for the gifts donated to our sites, we are not able to accept everything.

Thinking about fundraising or ready to start? Visit our Fundraising Toolkit to download our fantastic Fundraising Guide. Here you will also find useful templates and resources.

Paying in funds raised

Once you have collected in funds, we ask that these are donated to the charity within 28 days. If a JustGiving Fundraising Page has been used to collect donations, the money will come directly to us. Otherwise you can pay in funds raised through the following methods:

• JustGiving - You can pay in your donations from your bank account through our JustGiving page. Its the fastest and easiest way to get money to us. If you choose this option, please let us know by contacting our Charity Office on 01273 266040 or sc-tr.charity@nhs.net
• Cheque - Cheques should be posted along with a copy of our printable Donation Form to our Charity Office. Cheques should be made payable to Sussex Community NHS Charity, and posted to Sussex Community NHS Charity, Brighton General Hospital, Elm Grove, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 3EW. 

• Bank transfer - Please contact our Charity Office at 01273 266040 or sc-tr.charity@nhs.net for instructions to pay in donations via bank transfer. We will also collect details from you to complete a Donation Form over the phone, so no need to post one too.

• Cash - The easiest way to donate cash is to pay it into your own bank account, and then use one of the methods above. However if you still wish to donate cash please get in contact with the Charity Office on 01273 266040 or sc-tr.charity@nhs.net. We can advise the best payment method or local cashiers office to pay in the fund, and collect details from you. 

• Leave a gift - To leave a gift in your will to our charity, all you need is our charity name (Sussex Community NHS Charity), registration number (1051763) and details of the service you would like to support if you have a specific preference. If they would like to discuss anything with the charity, please contact our Charity Office at sc-tr.charity@nhs.net or call 01273 266040. Important note: Please ensure the service you choose to name in your will is delivered by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust. 

Legal stuff

We are committed to upholding excellent fundraising standards, in line with the Fundraising Code of Conduct, and we ask all our fundraisers to do the same. Please read the important information below before starting to fundraise.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Charity Office. We are here to provide advice and help to our supporters.

• Licences: You may need a licence if organising an event, particularly if selling alcohol or food. Get in touch with your local council about what permissions are needed.
• Raffles and Lotteries: There are rules you must follow when raising funds through a raffle, lottery or other activity involving gambling. Some activities require a licence. For guidance, visit the Gambling Commission.
• Street collections: Street collections require a licence from the local council for the time and location of the collection. Contact our Charity Office on 01273 266040 or sc-tr.charity@nhs.net who can assist.
• Collections on private property: Before you can collect on privately owned property, written consent should be sought from the owner or business. You must not collect door to door.
• Insurance: Some event venues may require you to have insurance, so it is advised to check with the venue first before fundraising.

Just Like A Star

Take a look at our appeal 'Just Like A Star', where you can visit our midnight blue sky and donate to add a star in memory of a loved one or to thank a carer, friend or colleague.

There are options to add a photo, leave a message, and it is your choice whether to add your name or be anonymous.

All donations will go towards supporting staff, patients and volunteers here at Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust. Visit our sky.

Tap for our NHS Heroes

To provide extra support, we need to raise unrestricted funds, these are donations made to our general pot which can be used to spend to pay for a wide variety of fantastic projects. 

We want you to ‘tap’ for our NHS heroes in whatever way you can – every tap supports us to support them. Read more about our appeal.

Corporate partnerships are a great way to support a charitable cause, whilst boosting employee morale and raising your company's profile.

There are a number of different ways businesses support us:

• Donating gifts in kind or services to support our workforce and patients
• Donating a percentage of profits from the sale of products
• Organising fundraising events and activities for employees and customers to get involved in
• Taking part in one of our events or activities, such as joining our team in a half marathon
• Making a donation, or matching your employees donations/fundraising
• Display a collection tin on site to collect cash donations - complete our online form to request a tin.

Check out the sections above for information on how to donate and fundraising tips/resources to get started.

To discuss a corporate partnership, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our Charity Office. We would be delighted to chat through your ideas.

Easyfundraising 🛒

With Easyfundraising you can raise FREE donations when you shop online with over 5,000 retailers. It's easy to use and only takes two minutes to sign up! .

Click here to get started.

Amazon Smile 🛒

If you shop on Amazon, you could also support your local NHS at no extra cost!  When using AmazonSmile, Amazon will make a donation to Sussex Community NHS Charity! 

Click here to find out more and get started.

During the last year the charity has funded over 40 projects to enhance staff wellbeing, supporting them to continue providing excellent patient care. A few examples include:

Project Wingman wellbeing bus

The charity funded the Project Wingman bus to spend a week at two SCFT sites - Horsham Hospital and Bognor Regis War Memorial Hospital, providing a first-class rest space for staff. During their visit to the bus, staff were treated to complimentary drinks and snacks, a comfy place to rest, and a friendly chat with the Project Wingman volunteers. During the 2 week period, over 700 staff visiting the bus enjoying the welcoming space and chatting to volunteers. Of all the visitors who completed a survey about their experience on the Project Wingman bus, 100% said they found it valuable for their wellbeing. 

Staff massage chair

A member of staff successfully applied for a grant to purchase a massage chair, to particularly benefit all teams in Dyke Building (BGH) including Primary Care Admin, Hear Failure, Neurology, Respiratory, Responsive Services, Hospital At Home, System Capacity and Flow, Community Neuro Rehab, Falls, Therapy Hub and Phlebotomy teams. Staff can book slots to go and use the massage chair on their break, encouraging restful breaks during work hours.

Mental health first-aid lanyards

A member of staff successfully applied for a grant to purchase lanyards, to be able to ensure that staff who are registered Mental Health First Aiders will be able to be easily and discreetly identifiable to colleagues allowing them to initiate engagement on an individual and confidential manner. This avoids needing to request awareness via other channels.

Staff rest area chairs 

Due to social distancing requirements, staff rooms have needed some adjustments. We provided a grant to Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust's Special Care Dental Team at Crawley Hospital to buy new comfy wipeable tub chairs so their staff had somewhere to rest whilst sociaolly distancing during breaks. The team were delighted, saying:

"The funding for new chairs has done wonders for staff morale... Staff are extremely happy with the new furniture. The chairs will be well-used for many years to come". 

Standing desks

Last year, we were delighted to provide a number of grants to SCFT teams to purchase standing desks. With many staff spending prolonged periods of time sitting down, these portable standing desks benefit both physical and mental health. Hear from our staff:

"I find it invaluable" - Community Sister.

"I found it really helpful to have the option to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day. I find I get aches over the top of my shoulders when I’m sitting for long periods, as well as some lower back ache. So standing up for short periods helped improve my posture to relieve these aches. As my job is currently more desk bound due to Covid this option really helps!" - Pharmacist, Proactive Care Plus.

"I have found great benefits not only for my posture but for my mind. It helps relieve back pain and hip pain I get from sitting down for long periods of time. I also find that it actually gives me a bit more energy, I find when I sit down all day it seems rather a lot of effort to move but when you’re already standing nothing seems impossible. I also find it helps with productivity in the afternoon." - Proactive Care Coordinator.

During the last year, we have followed the changing needs of our services and predominately supported projects which ease issues caused or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded projects include for example:

Living well programme laptops

SCFT deliver the Living Well Programme, a free self-management course developed for people living with any long-term health condition, such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, depression, back pain, chronic fatigue syndrome etc.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, these face-to-face group sessions were unable to take place. We funded 12 laptops to enable the wonderful Living Well Programme volunteer tutors to deliver the courses online, and they now continue to provide this great service virtually to patients safely at home.

Badges to aid communication

We provided a grant to SCFT Disability Network to purchase a selection of badges designed to help staff, volunteer and patients and carers across the Trust adapt to face covering rules and the impact these have on communication. These badges help:

• People who struggle to understand people in masks because they lip-read, rely on facial cues or have problems with auditory processing
• People who are exempt from wearing a face mask and wish to indicate this and avoid potential confrontations
• Staff who wish to indicate to patients and carers that they know BSL or Makaton 
• Patients who wish to signal to people addressing them that they can switch to signing Makaton or BSL to communicate with them

Activities to ease social isolation

We funded a grant to the SCFT Homeless Team to deliver social and skill-building activities such as fishing trips, equine therapy and other days out for patients whose mental health problems have be impacted by the isolation of COVID sheilding.

Many of our patients have a chronic health conditions which have meant that they have had to shield during Covid-19 pandemic. For many of our patients experiencing homelessness is a time of huge anxiety and uncertainty coupled with feeling marginalised by society. Our occupational therapists aim to improve patient mental and physical health by supporting them to engage in meaningful activities in their home or outside in the community, allowing them to find a sense of mastery in themselves by learning or enhancing skills, giving them space from their concerns/anxieties, increase confidences, reduce social isolation and social integration.