Brightening Bucks by wearing colours of the rainbow for charity
Florence Nightingale have launched their Rainbow Appeal
Last updated 4th Dec 2020
Today we're invited to brighten Buckinghamshire by wearing the colours of the rainbow in support of a vital local charity.
Six months on from the last 'Clap for Carers', Florence Nightingale Hospice has started their Rainbow Appeal.
The charity is asking everyone to wear their brightest and most colourful outfits for the day to highlight their support for those working in healthcare across Buckinghamshire.
Bonnie Doe is the Marketing and Communications Manager:
"Covid-19 has made this a very tough and unpredictable year for everyone and, through it all, healthcare workers in our community have continued to provide care and support to patients and their families.
"We want to take a moment to say 'we haven't forgotten about you and we recognise your ongoing effort and commitment to caring for those who need it, however hard it might be.
This is an opportunity to thank all healthcare workers - those who have been on the frontline of caring for Covid-19 patients, those who have had to adapt to delivering care and support from behind PPE and those who are working intensively through waiting lists and a backlog of patients."
The team at Florence Nightingale Hospice are just one of those who have seen changes in how they are able to deliver care.
Liz Monaghan is Matron at the Hospice:
"Suddenly we had to do palliative care and end of life care through a mask, gloves and a pinny.
"A lot of our work is done by recognising facial expressions, the use of touch…and all those things changed. Having to tell someone that their dad was dying, either over a phone or with a mask on, in twenty-eight years of palliative care, I've never had to do that, never had to hold someone's hand in just a glove."
As Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Chief Executive, Neil Macdonald says:
"This year has been the one of the hardest in NHS history and the demand on our staff and services has increased dramatically."
Nightingale's Rainbow Day takes place today (Thursday 3rd December) and everyone is asked to wear their brightest and most colourful outfits to work, at home, out shopping - wherever you are - to show support for Buckinghamshire's healthcare workers.
You do not have to raise money to take part but any money raised for the Nightingale's Rainbow Appeal will be shared between Buckinghamshire NHS Trust Charitable Fund and Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity.
You can find all the details here.