NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CANCER SUPPORT CHARITY GIFTED £1,500 DONATION
Barratt Homes has donated £1,500 to Northampton-based charity, The Lewis Foundation, to help provide gift packs to adult cancer patients in hospitals in the Midlands.
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BN – 005 – Olivia of Barratt Homes with Curtis of The Lewis Foundation
The packages the charity provides include items that patients might find difficult to buy themselves or simply cannot afford, and help to bring people happiness and comfort at a difficult time. For many people in hospital and the community, volunteers at The Lewis Foundation are their only regular visitors.
The donation came as part of the Barratt Developments Plc Charitable Foundation, which is designed to support national and local charities, large and small, across the UK to leave a legacy in the communities in which the housebuilder operates.
Lorraine Lewis, Co-Founder of The Lewis Foundation, said: “It was an amazing surprise to be told we would receive this donation from Barratt Homes. Donations like this make the work we do possible, which enables us to provide direct support to people in hospital going through the most difficult time of their lives. It’s great to see businesses in the community giving back to help others.
“My husband Lee and I were so moved when Lee’s mum was hospitalised with cancer at Northampton General Hospital that it inspired us to set up a charity. Recognising the fear, upset and loneliness faced by individuals undergoing cancer treatment and their loved ones, we were determined that our charity would make a real difference.”
The Lewis Foundation was born in 2016 when it sourced donations, packaged, and delivered gifts to patients on oncology wards. Today, with a team of 50 volunteers and community supporters, it has grown from delivering 80 gift packs to one hospital, to delivering around 2,000 gifts per month to 17 hospitals in the Midlands.
Since the charity began, The Lewis Foundation has given away over 106,000 gifts and raised over £1 million.
Lorraine continued: “How it works is that patients pick a gift pack of their choice from our gift trolley and there are 29 different packs to pick from. Packs range from toiletries, puzzle books and miniature radios. Once the gift is received, we then spend time with people to reduce loneliness.
“Times are hard at present with the cost-of-living crisis and we have found donations from members of the public have declined as a result. This donation enables us to ensure we can provide not only a wide choice of items for the cancer patients we support, but also high-quality branded items, which guarantees the basic needs of those diagnosed with cancer are met when entering the hospital setting.
“I would like to say a huge thank you to Barratt Homes for choosing us for a donation. It means so much to the patients and their loved ones who are recipients of the packs we provide.”
Simon Francis, Managing Director at Barratt Homes Northampton, said: “At Barratt Homes it’s incredibly important for us to give back to the local community.
“We’re delighted to know this donation will help The Lewis Foundation to continue supporting people going through an extremely difficult time.”
