Rainbow Boxes bring joy to isolated hospital patients
Staff from the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine (CMVM) have rallied to support an initiative set up by Alison Williams, a research nurse on the front line at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Staff from the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine (CMVM) have rallied to support an initiative set up by Alison Williams, a research nurse on the front line at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Working on the COVID-19 wards Alison realised that many patients were turning up with little or no personal belongings, due to the emergency nature of their admittance. With their loved ones remaining at home in isolation, these patients were unable to contact their friends and families to keep them up to date on their condition.
Alison launched a JustGiving site appealing to her friends for funds to purchase basic toiletries and iPads for these patients. She set the initial fundraising target at £500. Twenty-four hours later, she had raised £15,000. Many of her friends also volunteered to help with the logistics. They purchased colourful plastic drawers for storing and dispensing the supplies which led them to name to initiative the Rainbow Boxes Foundation.
The Chancellor’s Building at the Edinburgh BioQuarter is currently being used as a storage facility for the boxes. Several staff members have also joined up as volunteers to the scheme including Ali Irving, Communications Manager for CMVM and Heather Anderson, Chancellor’s Building Manager.
Ali Irving Communications Manager within CMVM and volunteer said: “Alison’s initiative is an amazing one and it is meeting such a clear need that staff within the Medical School at the University were delighted to support it through providing space in Chancellor’s Building. She is inspirational in how she responded so quickly at such a challenging time.”
Heather Anderson, Chancellor’s Building Manager said: “Our building being attached to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary provides the perfect base for the Rainbow Boxes team to get the toiletries and other items to patients as quickly as possible. I’ve been delighted to help out.”
The foundation has also received recognition from the Royal Bank of Scotland who have donated an additional £25,000 as a part of its 300 Fund; a commitment to invest £1 million a year for the next seven years.
Now Rainbow Boxes are supplying all COVID-19 wards across Lothian and West Lothian. The contents of the boxes include nightwear and phone chargers as well as toiletries and iPads, to make the patients’ as comfortable as possible.
Alison Williams, Founder of Rainbow Boxes said: “It is because of the amazing generosity of so many individuals that Rainbow Boxes has been able to happen and that patients now have access to essential items. I want to say thank you to everyone who has helped out.”
Rainbow Boxes ask that if anyone wants to support them, they donate via their JustGiving site instead of sending items directly. This allows them to comply with Government advice and safely source what they need from retailers directly and at cost.
