10 Nov Seriously ill children in Essex to be supported by Rainbow Trust
Families in and around Essex with children who have a life-threatening condition, will receive vital support, thanks to a grant from Barclays to Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity based in Pitsea.
The Barclay’s 100×100 UK COVID-19 Community Relief Programme was launched in April to help people and communities most impacted by the pandemic, with Rainbow Trust being one of 100 UK charities each receiving £100K, allowing their vital work to continue at an immensely challenging time.
The grant will help Rainbow Trust to fund its tailored support to families with a seriously ill child in each of its six Care Team locations across England for three months. This includes the Rainbow Trust’s Essex Care Team based on London Road in Pitsea, which supports families in Essex and North East London.
Rainbow Trust provides expert practical and emotional support to families with a seriously ill child, by pairing each family with a specialist Family Support Worker.
The coronavirus pandemic has made life much harder for the families supported by Rainbow Trust. When the pandemic first hit, 80% of families surveyed told Rainbow Trust their situation was worse or much worse than before.
Due to the pandemic Rainbow Trust has innovated and adapted its service like never before. When Family Support Workers could no longer be by a family’s side, they stepped in to give vital virtual support. They delivered breast milk to isolated neonatal babies and helped families with the emotional strain of delayed treatments.
Nigel Higgins, Barclays Chairman, said: “COVID-19 has created an unprecedented social and economic impact in the UK, with many experiencing greater hardship due to the crisis. Incredible charities such as Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity have been playing a vital role in the UK’s response to the pandemic, ensuring urgent help reaches those most in need of support. As a bank we have been doing all we can for our customers, clients and colleagues, and we hope that by partnering with Rainbow Trust and many other charities across the UK, collectively we can ensure that as many people as possible in the communities in which we live and work are supported through this crisis.”
