Friends of Brighton & Hove Hospitals

After you have met the needs of your family, you might consider making a bequest to the Friends. Legacies are vital to us. Over 70% of all the money we receive comes from local supporters making gifts in their Wills.

Why should you consider the Friends?

We are a local charity, so the money goes directly to help local hospitals. As we are run by volunteers, our administrative costs are minimal, and virtually all the money we raise is used to benefit local people when they become ill.

You, or a member of your family, are very likely to be admitted to a local hospital sometime in the future. Our aim is to help make that experience as pleasant, comfortable and efficient as possible.

We listen and respond to the requests of the doctors, nurses and other professionals, so that the money raised achieves the maximum benefit. We never give to projects that we feel should be funded directly by the NHS.

As we are a charity, bequests are free of inheritance tax, so you can give more and we get more!

NHS funds cannot be expected to provide everything, particularly in these days of apparently insatiable demands for healthcare. Despite a perpetually hostile press, most people are very grateful for the treatment they receive, and many wish to say "Thank you". A gift in their Will is a worthwhile way of doing so.

How will your legacy be spent?

In 2008, the Friends have agreed to purchase over 130 pieces of equipment for our local Trusts. They were chosen from a list provided by the Trusts, because they particularly improve the experience of going into hospital.

These are examples of our recent purchases:

•Small Ososcopes to make ear examinations of small children earier

•DVD equipment to aid education of parents and teachers with children needing speech and language therapy

•Portable dental scaler for use on dental home visits across the City

•A 24-hour ECG machine for the Falls Prevention Service

•A Doppler Probe machine for each Community Nursing Team to use for in-home patient assessments

•Better and more comfotrable chairs for patients and visitors to the Digestive Diseases Ward

•the list goes on …

An information leaflet and full details are available from the Friends Office.