Recite me link

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS (MTW) Charitable Fund has been awarded a £50,000 grant from NHS Charities Together, which is being used to support the health and wellbeing of staff during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The £50,000 will be used to fund projects with a key focus on supporting black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) colleagues working at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW), who have been disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Projects benefitting from the funding so far include MTW’s Cultural and Ethnic Minorities Network (CEMN) “The Power of Us” virtual conference, which took place earlier in October during Black History Month, and focused on how diversity can improve the care we can give our patients.  The event was open to healthcare staff in Kent to help further build relationships and develop inclusion across the region.

Later this month, “The Power of Me” virtual conference focuses support on career development for BAME staff at MTW. This event aims to encourage an inclusive culture where people with a diverse range of identities and backgrounds, skills and attributes feel able to perform at their best and progress at MTW.

The funding will also be used to support other projects within the CEMN, such as further development of the Trust’s Ally programme and expanding the equality, diversity and inclusion training courses for staff. It will also support the relaunch of MTW’s Disability Network.

Laura Kennedy, Fundraising Manager at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, commented: “We are delighted to have been awarded this funding by NHS Charities Together and pleased that it has already been put to good use by helping support our staff during the ongoing pandemic.

“All projects benefitting from this funding aim to improve MTW as a compassionate and inclusive organisation both for staff and patients.”