Report to the Corporate Trustees
Title of Report
Northumbria Healthcare Charity (Bright Northumbria)
Author
Brenda Longstaff, Head of Charity Development and Volunteering
Executive Lead
Claire Riley, Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs
Responsible subcommittee
Date of meeting
Executive Summary
Charitable Funds Committee
22nd October 2015
The purpose of this report is to provide the committee with an
update on development activity between July 2015 – Sept 2015.
Key pieces of activity during this period have included:
Assurance
Framework reference
Alignment to Trusts
Annual/Strategic
Plans or business
unit annual plans
Risk rating (very
high, high, medium,
low risk)/ any
recommended
changes
Compliance/
regulatory
requirements (if
applicable)
Actions required by
the Trustees

Oncology Unit garden at North Tyneside completed

Official opening of HVS shop at Cramlington in July

Northumbria photo competition attracted 1000 entries

Global connections conference held on 20th June

Commonwealth Fellow from Tanzania visited trust

Music in Hospitals launch at North Tyneside General
Minutes of the meeting held on 7th September are provided in
Appendix 1
Trusts Reputation Risk Register
Charity strategic plan
Medium
The corporate trustees are asked to note the content of the report
and approve the recommendations contained within the report.
X drive / Foundation Trust / Meetings/ Charitable Trustees / 22.10.15
Enc
Charitable Funds Committee: Report to Charity Trustees on 22nd October, 2015
1
Date of meeting: Monday 7th September 2015
2
The minutes of the meeting are available on the website at: www.northumbria.nhs.uk
3
Executive Summary
3.1
FINANCE REPORT
The Annual Accounts showed that there had been an increase in fundraising compared to
previous years. An analysis of the accounts showed that spending is broadly in line with strategic
targets with environment improvement increasing so that it is now only just below target. It was
noted that research funds had very little activity and discussions would take place with fundholders
to encourage expenditure in the area of research.
KPMG gave feedback on the Annual Report. They stated that the report was very clean, with a
strong balance sheet. They found no concerns with the accounts.
They advised that it would be acceptable for the Charity to lend money to the Trust, if the Trustees
so wished.
The committee noted that Blyth HVS was not covering running costs. It was acknowledged that
the shop provided a valuable service to the hospital, its patients and staff. With the opening of the
HVS shop at Cramlington, and significant sales from the busy hospital, it is thought appropriate for
the ‘flagship’ facility to support the salary costs for Blyth HVS and perhaps other smaller
community HVS outlets where sales turnover may be small.
3.2
HEAD OF CHARITY DEVELOPMENT AND VOLUNTEERING REPORT
Strategic development - Cumbria
The Cumbria Charitable Funds Committee has agreed that the Volunteering Service will report to
the committee.
Shuttle bus Service
It had been found that the shuttle bus service set up by the Transport Commission to provide
transport between NSECH , North Tyneside and Wansbeck had been used mostly by members of
staff.
Variable platform beds
The committee was not able to support a request to purchase variable platform beds at a cost of
£50K for The Northumbria.
X drive / Foundation Trust / Meetings/ Charitable Trustees / 22.10.15
Oncology Day Unit garden opens
The Oncology Day Unit at North Tyneside General Hospital is now completed. Decoration using
recycled Buddha’s, boats and bicycles has created a very pleasing aesthetic effect
Berwick Day Room
A series of design options have been discussed with staff on ward 1 at Berwick to transform the
day room into a multi-activity space
Alnwick conservatory project
Work has started on the refurbishment of the conservatory in the Alnwick oncology unit at Alnwick
Infirmary. New double glazing and velux roof lights are being installed to create a light and airy
space. Once completed, this space can be used for private interviews and staff training.
Stannington Sanatorium
Woodhorn Museum Archives have offered to donate a series of wall panels about the Stannington
Sanatorium project to Wansbeck General Hospital. The panels will tell the story of the
development of the sanatorium.
Wansbeck Oasis
The Oasis at Wansbeck General Hospital continues to attract significant donations to the Bright
charity from grateful families who use the facilities. The donations are more than that required to
maintain its upkeep. It is thought that some of the funding received could be used to support the
development of similar Oasis facilities on other trust sites.
Health and Wellbeing
The charity received a request to support a new programme of activities developed for the trust’s
Health and Wellbeing programme.
British Heart Foundation
The ECHO machine purchased with funds contributed by the Trust, the Bright Charity and the
British Heart Organisation has been delivered to Wansbeck Cardiology Department
Fundraising
It was noted that fundraising activity in support of the Trust continues to increase.

Ladies Darts Team Donate £2000 to Palliative Care

Northumbria Police staff undertook the Coast to Coast bike ride to raise £700 for
paediatric diabetes.

Limitless Dance School in Blyth raised £500 at a special fundraising performance for the
Special Care Baby Unit

Ian Smith held a darts fundraising evening and raised £600 for the Special Care Baby Unit

A match between Koast Radio and Bedlington Terriers raised £3,000 for the palliative care
unit at Wansbeck General Hospital
Healing arts and the patient environment
X drive / Foundation Trust / Meetings/ Charitable Trustees / 22.10.15
Newcastle College exhibition, North Tyneside hospital
Retro inspired artwork by students from Newcastle College has been installed in the Diabetes
Resources Centre at North Tyneside General Hospital.
Music in Hospitals
The Charity Music in Hospitals held its inaugural Concert at North Tyneside General Hospital in
July, marking its launch in the North East.
Northumberland Church of England Academy
Artwork created by students with learning disabilities has gone on display in the corridor outside
the Special Care Baby Unit.
NSECH Arts programme:
Main entrance artwork
A large panoramic photograph showing St Mary’s lighthouse at sunrise by local photographer
Allan Potts was installed in the main entrance area. A canvas by local artist Emily Ward has gone
on display in the main entrance.
Tree of life embroidery
The final workshop of the embroidery group was held in Stannington in July. Finished artwork has
been submitted by the embroiderers to the artist for assembly into the Tree of Life design, which is
due to be displayed in the restaurant.
Children’s waiting room project
Artist Deborah Snell has been appointed to develop a Where’s Wally mural based on a woodland
theme for the children’s waiting area.
Northumbria Photography competition
Bill Stephens’ image of a man and boy flying a kite on the beach at Bamburgh Castle was the
overall winner of Northumbria’s first regional photography competition. Winning photographs from
each category have been enlarged to A0 size to be used as way-finding in the hospital.
International Development
Academic Health Sciences Network Project
A network of trusts with health links in the north east and Cumbria has been established covering
more than 12 countries and 31 individual links. A webpage and Facebook page have been
created to maintain communications across the network.
Global Connections Conference
The trust’s Global Connections Conference was attended by 120 delegates on 20th June.
Tanzania
Dr Eusebious Maro visited the Trust to study laparoscopic gynaecology procedures and infertility
treatment as part of a Commonwealth Fellowship.
Tanzanian medical students from KCMC successfully completed their elective training at North
Tyneside General Hospital during June/July.
.
3.3 VOLUNTEER REPORT
X drive / Foundation Trust / Meetings/ Charitable Trustees / 22.10.15
The Volunteer Service is hoping to work with Northumbria Community Rehabilitation Company on
a new project to provide ex-offenders with an opportunity to gain new skills to aid them in their
transition to working life.
Values Based Recruitment has been trialled as part of the interview process with volunteers.
North Tyneside HVS Long Service Awards were held on 8th July 2015.
Michael Oliver, premiership referee officially opened HVS Cramlington on Tuesday 14th July 2015.
The Voluntary Service is planning to work in partnership with Deafinitions, to provide Deaf
Awareness and Sign Language training to volunteers.
RECOMMENDATION
That the Trustees approve:

The 2014-15 Annual Report and Accounts for the charity.

The use of NSECH HVS profits to contribute to staffing costs of Blyth HVS

A sum of £15k from the trust wide fund for the Health & Wellbeing programme

Use of Wansbeck Oasis surplus charitable funds to support similar Oasis projects on
other trust sites.
X drive / Foundation Trust / Meetings/ Charitable Trustees / 22.10.15