Date published: 07 October 2020 by Digital Team

Thanks to a grant from Barclays, we have received funding sufficient to provide support for 110 families with a seriously ill child.

The Barclay’s 100x100 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 £100,000, allowing our vital work to continue at an immensely challenging time.

The grant will enable us to fully fund our tailored support, which will benefit up to 600 individuals - parents, siblings and extended family, as well as the ill child themselves - across each of our six Care Team locations across England for three months.

The coronavirus pandemic has made life much harder for the families we support. When the pandemic first hit, 80% of families surveyed told us their situation was worse or much worse than before.

Due to the pandemic we have innovated and adapted our service like never before. When Family Support Workers could no longer be by a family’s side, we stepped in to give vital virtual support. We have also 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.”

Zillah Bingley, Chief Executive of Rainbow Trust, said:

“We are very grateful to the Barclays 100x100 UK COVID-19 Community Relief Programme, for supporting the work of Rainbow Trust through this incredibly generous donation. The families we support are already in crisis, and the pandemic only served to bring them greater uncertainty and isolation. Families often tell us that their Rainbow Trust Family Support Worker is one of the only trusted constants in their lives, helping them as they face uncharted territory and the unknown.

“For vulnerable families to continue to benefit from our support, we urgently need all the help we can get. The pandemic resulted in a dramatic drop in our income and we do not expect to be able to recover these sums easily. It is only through the generosity of donors such as Barclays, that we will be able to continue to be there to support these families, in whatever way we can be of most help, whether that is in person, by telephone, or in other ways- and for as long as is possible.

“On behalf of Rainbow Trust and the families we support, we sincerely thank you Barclays.”

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