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OVER 200 ITEMS DONATED TO SUPPORT HOSPITAL PATIENTS
By Admin
05 November 2020 8:46 am

It was just another day at work on the ward for Bristol Karate Academy member, Eden Burrell. Assessments done and exercises prescribed. But conversations with her patients at South Bristol Community Hospital left Eden feeling that something more could be done to help them.
 
“As I completed a personal care assessment the patient told me her husband was shielding and with no children she didn’t have anyone to bring her in the essentials that many of us take for granted,” Eden recounted.
 
“As the assessment continued the patient mentioned how she missed her nice smelling toiletries that made her feel normal and comforted.”
 
Sadly, she was not the only patient telling this story.
 
Because of the coronavirus, South Bristol Community Hospital had to restrict visitors to one per patient. A lot of patients were missing their favourite toiletries. Some didn’t even have a hairbrush. This got Eden thinking.
 
Each year, the members of Bristol Karate Academy support a charity, but with all the usual fundraising events cancelled due to the pandemic it wasn’t possible to do this in the same way this year. Instead, with her patients in mind, Eden proposed an appeal.
 
Throughout October, Academy members donated toiletries and personal care items, ranging from shower gels to hairbrushes; from nail files to lip balm – all the things that would help make the patients of South Bristol Community Hospital feel like at least one part of their life was not changing beyond recognition.
 
In total, members collected a massive 219 items, including items bought with money donated.
 
With the second nationwide lockdown scheduled to start from 5th November, the appeal was timed perfectly. On 2nd November, Eden was able to present box-loads of donations to her ward, on a day when the hospital announced that relatives and friends were no longer able to visit patients, in attempt to help control the virus.
 
Ward sister Wendy Bellamy was delighted with the donations: “Thanks to the members of Bristol Karate Academy for the lovely toiletry gifts! They will make a real difference to the patients’ stay. And also a real difference to the staff helping the patients, who can now just pop to the store cupboard and pick an item from the huge selection!”
 
Eden herself wanted to thank everyone for their efforts too.
 
“After being made to feel so very welcome in the Bristol Karate Academy community I could not have imagined the volume of support received with the appeal. Thank you just does not cover how grateful I am!”
 
Well done to Eden Burrell, Caroline Walton and Ian Connell, who co-ordinated the collections during the appeal. And thank you so much to all the Academy members and their families that donated to help make others feel more like themselves during such a challenging time for everyone. You are incredible!